


WitchStorm 02 - Cluster Crisis

by StormSen



Series: WitchStorm [3]
Category: Witch Weapon (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 41,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24080485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormSen/pseuds/StormSen
Summary: This is the second story of the WitchStorm rewrite of the Witch Weapon visual novel. Content is almost entirely new. Very roughly, it corresponds to the first half of second story in WW VN - but with very different lore, pacing, events and relationships.
Series: WitchStorm [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736539
Comments: 93
Kudos: 29





	1. Spacetime Cluster Collapse

  * **Screen: Aegis Data Screen**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Earlier...
  * AEGIS Log 
    * Anomaly: STC 1 Collapsing... \\\ Collapsed.
    * Total STC count: 12. Total STF count: 50.
  * **Screen: Collapsed Building**
  * [Narrator] 
    * STC 1 Deployment: Police Special Forces Unit Cobra.
  * Lieutenant Hirono [Outfit: MD Police Officer Uniform] 
    * It's coming down, everyone out! OUT! OUT! OUT!!!
  * Narrator 
    * A crackling rumble, and the entire four story apartment building crumbles into dust and flying debris...
    * [CRASH!!!]
  * Lieutenant Hirono 
    * Johnson! Saito! Iwata!
  * Corporal Saito (offscreen) 
    * We're out lieutenant. But there were still some residents in there.
    * Wait... Survivors headed our way... Whoah they're fast...
    * ...
    * Under attack! Under Attack!
  * Director Von Braun (offscreen) 
    * Lieutenant, put your men in secure firing position! NOW!!!
    * Be ready for Substance H armed civilians.
  * Lieutenant Hirono 
    * Substance H? ... Civilians??
  * Corporal Saito (offscreen) 
    * Johnson and Iwata are down!
    * They're just girls???
    * AAARHHH...
  * Director Von Braun (offscreen) 
    * NOW, Lieutenant! You're about to be overrun!
    * I don't care if they look like your grandma, or a sweet little loli, gun down any woman that acts like a combatant!
  * Lieutenant Hirono 
    * Everyone, secure firing positions!
    * Full auto. Prepare to shoot to kill!
  * **Screen: Collapsed Building: Witches attacking**
  * Lieutenant Hirono 
    * Halt! Halt!
    * ...
    * Open Fire!
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * **Screen: SID Control Center**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ten minutes later...
    * SID Command Center
  * Mariru (neutral) [Outfit: SID Director Outfit] 
    * Good work lieutenant.
    * Keep a guard on the enemy bodies. An SID team is on the way and will take custody.
    * After this site is clear, redeploy to site 9.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (offscreen) 
    * Yes, Director.
    * Over and out.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru ends the call and turns to white haired scientist standing next to her.
  * Mariru (annoyed) 
    * At least that Lieutenant is competent. Unlike that fool, Minami.
    * That video from Salmonton saved us though.
  * Aya (excited) [Outfit: Lab Coat, etc.] 
    * That video was exhilarating! Forty-nine casualties in just three minutes!
    * Maybe we could hold off next time and let it run its course?
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Bonk!]
  * Aya 
    * Owww!
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru holsters her baton and looks over the data screens...
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Those weapons are interesting, but...
    * We'll get more than enough combat footage before this is over.
  * [Mariru] 
    * Hovering Palace, New Moridas, Masada Ford, Salmonton, Lebona Isles, us... All the Academy Cities.
    * Non-Academy cities hit too, but much more sparingly.
    * Incidents clustering around Substance H research and storage facilities.
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Lets not waste this opportunity...
    * Anderson, correlate worldwide STF events with Substance H facilities.
    * Look for clusters that _aren't_ correlated with known facilities. Let's see what's being hidden from us.
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) [Female SID Agent; Black Ponytail; SID MIB suit] 
    * Yes ma'am.
  * (Mariru) 
    * One cluster down. But the rest of are going to be a nightmare...
    * Twelve more spacetime clusters in New Opulentia alone. More on the way. Plus everywhere else...
    * At least most of the STCs are on 20+ hour timers. But some simultaneous collapses...
    * Even if containment and evacuations are perfect, the property damage and economic impact will be astronomical.
  * (Mariru) (serious) 
    * .. \\\ Is this related to the disappearance of Ross Island Goblet?
    * Events are worldwide, but New Opulentia does have a slight statistical lead...
  * AEGIS Log 
    * Anomaly: Additional Spacetime Cluster formed. Location: Donboro district. Instability: Moderate. Time to Collapse: 29 hours.
    * Total STF Cluster count: 13. Total Spacetime Fluxes: 53.
  * (Mariru) (frown) 
    * Damn. And there's the next one...
  * AEGIS Log 
    * Anomaly: STF 5C Rapid Dispersion. Damage: None to minimal. Casualties: One.
  * (Mariru) 
    * What the hell?? That wasn't due for 23 hours. No damage? One casualty?
  * Aya (disappointed) 
    * Aww... Just one?
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Bonk!]
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Carter, take half your team to Site 5C. The STF there has just collapsed 23 hours ahead of time and with no apparent damage.
    * One casualty - secure it. Do building scans, look for anything unusual.
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Yes Ma'am. I'll leave Nishi in charge here. Tell Miss Aya that her specimens are on the way.
  * Aya (excited) 
    * Hoorah! Science!
  * **Screen: Aegis Data Screen**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Forty-five minutes later...
  * AEGIS Log 
    * Anomaly: STF 5B Rapid Dispersion... \\\ STF 5A Rapid Dispersion... \\\ STF 5D Rapid Dispersion...
    * Summary: STC 5: Eliminated
    * Total STC count: 12. Total STF Count: 49.
  * **Screen: SID Control Center**
  * (Mariru) (serious annoyed) 
    * And that's it. Last spacetime flux down... A whole cluster eliminated.
    * And by what? \\\ Or by whom?
  * Mariru (speaking) 
    * Carter, report!
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Two bodies, Ma'am. Same as the others... Blunt force, animal attacks.
    * Based on weapons, seems to be the same firecaster types from site 1.
    * Still no bosozoku or sniper type enemies found.
    * Scans show no damage to structures.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Good, search location 3D next. The STF there has just collapsed.
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Understood, ma'am.
  * (Mariru) 
    * Something or someone is preempting the STF before it collapses?
    * STC 1 had thirty-nine enemy combatant kills. STC 5 has only three so far.
    * Less kills equals less... "corruptions"?
  * **Screen: Aegis Data Center**
    * Banks and banks of computer/data banks. Ordered. Cool Blues and Blacks.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Aegis Data Center...
  * AEGIS Log 
    * Restriction: Highest Level. Aegis access only...
    * Aegis Node 109 Reporting...
    * Anomaly: SoulID 3426932: Annie Bass. \\\ Port of Entry: None \\\ Status: Presumed Dead \\\ Age: Incompatible. \\\ SH Level: A
    * Anomaly: SoulID [PID]: PRen. \\\ Face match: 10% \\\ Body match: Incompatible. \\\ SH Level: S+
    * Anomaly: New Aegis Mode Acquired: Personal Interaction
    * ... \\\ Personal Interaction with PRen initiated.
    * Postulate: PRen and Annie Bass responsible for collapse of STC 5...
    * Confirmed by PRen.
    * Action: Define RenBass unit: PRen + Annie Bass
    * Action: Assign RenBass unit to STC 4.
    * Action: Order pizza for Annie.
  * AEGIS [Character: Lady Aegis] 
    * Anomaly: I... \\\ I think... \\\ I think she'll like it.
    * Anomaly: I... \\\ I am... \\\ I am Aegis.
  * **END**




	2. Lunch with the Lady

  * **Screen: Plaza 2: Outdoor Tables, Aegis Statue in Background**
  * [Ren] 
    * Second bubble cluster was about the same as the first. Some new witches, but same difficulty.
  * Lady Aegis (curious) 
    * ...
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * (Weird having Lady Aegis sit down to lunch with us!)
    * (Seems that if I'm close enough to her statue, she can "project" her presence.)
  * Annie (yelling) 
    * No, Ren, that's my slice!
    * [Slap!]
    * AAAIEEEEE!!!
  * Ren (laugh) 
    * Hah, serves you right, trying to steal my slice!
    * Wait, what happened?
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * I saw Lady Aegis for a second when I...
    * Oh I see...
    * [Grab!]
  * Ren (yelling) 
    * HEY! I can't eat MY SLICE when you have MY HAND in a DEATHGRIP!!!
  * Lady Aegis (bemused) 
    * ...
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Oh, you can see her now?
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Hi hi, Lady! Thanks for the pizza!
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * You.. you are welcome Miss Bass.
    * I... am pleased that you can see me now.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * This won't work... Ren, scoot up a little.
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * Huh? Okay...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and I both scoot up. \\\ We're really close now...
  * Ren (blush surprised) 
    * Hey!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Hold still Ren! It won't kill you have our legs touching!
    * And this way we both have hands free for eating!
  * Ren (blush side glance) 
    * Yeah, I... I guess.
    * (It really is distracting though...)
    * (Annie playing footsie...)
    * Maybe if I...
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * You just went part Rennie didn't you?
  * Ren (laugh) 
    * Yep! Yep! Yep!
  * Ren (blush side glance) 
    * (It's not really working though...)
    * (I mean it's just a leg... \\\ A girl's leg... \\\ Rubbing against my leg...)
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * I... I'll review for Miss Bass, while you two refuel.
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Annie (worried) 
    * All over the world huh? This is pretty serious!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Okay, so with bubble clusters... err... "STCs" on varying countdowns...
    * And taking into account possible structural and civilian damage...
    * You assign a priority rating to each STC... And therefore a best path for us?
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * (Just like min/maxing in a game...)
  * Lady Aegis 
    * Correct. Your completion speed was 38 minutes for the last cluster.
    * Adding travel time, etc... Estimate one hour per cluster.
    * Not counting refueling time...
    * But refueling is proceeding at 240% efficiency.
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * (Huh. I understood almost all of that...)
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * Lady Aegis is saying we're eating too fast.
  * Ren (denying) 
    * No, Lady Aegis is saying we're eating too slow!
  * Annie (yelling) 
    * EAT SLOWER, RENNIE!
  * Ren (yelling) 
    * NO! EAT FASTER, ANNIE!
  * Lady Aegis (thoughtful conflicted) 
    * I... I am conflicted on this issue.
    * (Their fuel consumption rate is admirable.... But it is a bit... unseemly.)
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Okay, but we're still talking another eleven hours, and that's not counting additional STCs that appear...
    * We'll need transport, food, rest... sleep.
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * I.. I will arrange that.
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Ahh? Cool! Then Annie and I can just focus on fighting...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Oh... umm... My ID might have some problems...
  * Lady Aegis (smirk) 
    * Yes, you are quite the anomaly, PRen.
  * Ren (suspicious) 
    * (Was that a joke?)
  * Lady Aegis (thoughtful) 
    * Though Miss Bass also presents some issues...
    * Miss Bass would you be willing to become a citizen of New Opulentia?
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * Well, yeah! If that's what it takes, then I'm in!
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * Done. You are now a citizen of New Opulentia.
  * Annie (shocked) 
    * Wait... Already? Just now?
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * Yes. All identification files are stored in my... self.
    * Since you are serving in defense of New Opulentia, and are willing to become a citizen, certain formalities can be bypassed.
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * (I think she means ALL formalities were bypassed.)
  * Lady Aegis 
    * As PRen has suggested, changes to ID would be wise...
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * ??
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * ...
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * I will arrange this...
    * For Miss Bass... Perhaps Annette Cobb?
  * Annie (smiling) 
    * Cobb? The Georgia Peach? Oh HELL YEAH!!!
    * That's perfect Lady Aegis!
  * Lady Aegis 
    * And for PRen, perhaps the full name of her game character...
    * .. Ren Teh Saka?
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * Umm.... Maybe...
  * Annie (shocked) 
    * Wait... \\\ Ren... \\\ Ren TEH. SAKA???
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
    * I bet you have a cosplay too, don't you?
  * Ren (shadow blush) 
    * HEY! I LOVED THAT ANIME!!! \\\ YOU... YOU... BASEBALL NERD!!!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
  * Ren (blush shock) 
    * (Wait... Right now, I totally _could_ cosplay as...)
  * Ren (blush eyes closed) 
    * (Not thinking about it... Not thinking about it...)
    * [GULP!]
  * **Screen/Image: Ren in Rin Tohsaka Cosplay**
  * Ren (blush shock) 
    * (Totally thought about it!)
    * AARRGGHHH!!!
  * **END**




	3. SHIP-2032

  * **Changes from WW Original**
    * Entirely new.
  * **Screen: Interagency Video Conference**
    * [Videocall interface background.]
  * Chief Minami (irate) [MD Police Chief Uniform] 
    * This situation is intolerable! Director von Braun is continuing to issue orders directly to my men in the field!
  * Director von Braun (calm) [SID Uniform] 
    * Which I've explained repeatedly, Chief Minami.
    * As per Substance H Incident Protocol of 2032, SID has organizational command and control for Substance H incidents.
  * Chief Minami (irate) 
    * But that's assuming that this is a Substance H Incident! We have no evidence...
  * Director von Braun (annoyed) 
    * If you had any science training at all, then would never make such a statement.
    * STF's are a clear indication of Substance H mishandling.
  * Chief Minami (complaining) 
    * But the scale! Not just here, but worldwide! And combatants emerging from them!
    * This looks more like a global invasion, than an incident!
  * General Tsubaki (annoyed) [Military Uniform] 
    * Don't be foolish Minami. The combatants lack any organization or combat sense. They're just crazed berserkers.
    * If this were truly an invasion, then trust me... I absolutely would be asserting military command at this point.
  * Chief Minami (mocking) 
    * Well, it's not surprising that the military is backing SID. Perhaps SID's separation from the military is not so complete...
  * Director von Braun (angry) 
    * You think that the middle of the largest Substance H incident since 2031 is a good time to pull this sort of thing, Minami?
    * You're an even bigger fool than I already thought!
    * Go to the Senate if you dare. But until then, stay out of my way!
  * General Tsubaki (amused) 
    * Snort!
  * Chief Minami (irate) 
    * ...
  * General Tsubaki (amused) 
    * Ha! He disconnected!
  * Director von Braun (mocking) 
    * Bureaucratic asskisser.
  * General Tsubaki (amused) 
    * Too true...
  * General Tsubaki (serious) 
    * Director, according to this report, four urban STCs have now dispersed without incident.
    * My science staff is baffled. Can you explain this?
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * ... \\\ I'm not at liberty to disclose much.
    * Just that an experimental method is being applied.
    * The resource is limited and is not currently available for use outside the city.
    * Incidents outside of Aegis boundary will still be entirely down to your troops.
  * General Tsubaki (unhappy) 
    * Never thought I'd be using military might to gun down farmer's wives and daughters...
    * But we can handle it.
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * Thank you general.
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * **Screen: SID Control Center**
  * Mariru (annoyed) 
    * "Not at liberty..."
  * Aya (amused) 
    * Because you have no idea what's going on!
  * Aya (happy sideglance) 
    * Well, maybe not _no_ idea...
  * Mariru (hopeful) 
    * You have something?
  * Aya (happy) 
    * Three weapons used
    * #1: Something like a large mallet. Impact force is not great, but it causes a substantial hydrostatic shock. Multiple hits can even rupture organs!
    * Also, it has a raised mark on the mallet head, which leaves a mark, like this...
    * **Image: Torso with cartoon face blood-mark on it.**
  * Mariru (surprised) 
    * A cartoon face... A dog? Or bear?
  * Aya (happy sideglance) 
    * Bear, I think. Because...
  * Aya (happy) 
    * Claw marks are consistent with bears... Well... miniature bears, just 2-3 feet high.
    * Though the bite marks... Wow! \\\ Those are nasty! More Like a shark!
    * Initial attacks are low to mid body. Upper body attacks are consistent with a prone position.
  * Aya (thoughful) 
    * A "frenzy"? of bear-sharks? Hmm...
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * So the "bears" drive the victim to the ground and then finish them off.
  * Aya (happy) 
    * Exactly!
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * And the other two weapons?
  * Aya (happy) 
    * #2: Baseball bat. Strikes were strong and persistent. Otherwise normal.
    * #3: Baseballs. Strike patterns suggest being fired like rounds - like from a souped up pitching machine.
  * Aya (thoughtful) 
    * Strike height indicates that the batter was around 5' to 5'4".
    * Mallet user: A little harder to tell, but about the same.
    * Also, no defensive wounds on bodies. So they were berserkers, just like from STC 1.
  * Aya (sideglance) 
    * Just imagine.... Crazed berserkers taken down by a couple of kids armed with a mallet, a baseball bat, and frenzy of bear-sharks!
    * I could have made a mint selling ringside seats to this...
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Bonk!]
  * Mariru (thoughtful) 
    * Melee combat... Substance H weapons? Could the assailants be female?
  * Aya (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm... No traces of attackers DNA. Which is strange...
    * Maybe if I could determine successive swings, then calculate chest width from that? I don't know. Maybe.
  * Aya (happy) 
    * ... You're thinking that the assailants are... like the attackers? Rebel group? Infighting inside the STCs?
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Maybe... But check this out...
  * Aegis Log 
    * STC 4 Eliminated: Casualties: Five
    * RenBass Unit Test Complete
    * RenBass Unit Refueling
    * RenBass Unit Deployed to STC 7
    * STC 7 Eliminated: Casualties: 7
    * RenBass Unit Deployed to STC 13
    * STC 13 Eliminated; Casualties: 6
    * RenBass Unit Deployed to STC 3
    * Results Pending...
  * Aya (surprise) 
    * Aegis is doing this?? Wow!
    * I've never heard of Aegis having its own strike force! I thought it was just a shield against external attacks!
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Plus ID functions through the soul ID/surveillance nodes, aka "Lady Aegis" statues.
    * So, no, Aegis should _not_ have its own strike force.
    * But look at this... "Test Completed" is after the second STC eliminated. Not the first.
  * Aya (thoughtful) 
    * So something unexpected?
    * An Aegis ability that just manifested?
    * Or something added to Aegis?
    * Or something that Aegis acquired?
  * Mariru (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm...
    * Anderson... Anything new?
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * No results on "RenBass" search.
    * Also, "RenBass" deployment information is still coming only to us, not to police, military, or even Senate.
    * And we just received a tentative deployment route from Aegis for RenBass.
    * The route appears to have been prioritized for target value and travel time.
    * There's a 40 minute "rest" break in another two hours; then a refuel break three hours after that, then an eight hour "Recovery" break starting around midnight.
  * Aya (thoughtful sideglance) 
    * So Aegis's strike force still needs to eat and sleep?
  * Mariru (thoughtful) 
    * Aegis is in control of "RenBass", or at least is coordinating with it/them.
    * RenBass projected travel time is consistent with intracity travel.
    * But RenBass is clearly engaging in combat _inside_ STFs.
    * So RenBass is...
  * Aya (excited) 
    * ... Entering and exiting STFs at will?? \\\ No Way!
    * I don't know of _any_ successful insertions of _anything_ into an STF.
    * The uncertainty envelope alone should shread everything crossing it...
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Anderson, strictest information control on this.
    * And finding "RenBass" is now your number one job.
    * Hand off that worldwide tracking and anything else that takes up too much time.
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Yes, ma'am.
    * Note: STCs 9 and 11 are _not_ on the projected deployment route for RenBass.
  * Mariru (thoughtful) 
    * Aegis left those to us? Ah, I see... Both have low property and population risks.
    * MD already on STC 9, which should collapse soon. We can move MD to STC 11 afterwards.
    * Still, we can't be sure about "RenBass" yet. We'll use remaining MD units as safety net in case RenBass fails.
    * STC 3 evacuation already on hold. Slow-walk evacuations on the next three clusters...
  * Mariru (annoyed) 
    * Well this is almost turning mundane...
  * Aya (happy) 
    * Hah! Well at least this RenBass has left the most interesting corpses!
    * I'm heading back to the morgue for the next shipment...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru nods absentmindedly as Aya takes her leave.
  * (Mariru) (thoughtful) 
    * It's really going to hit the fan tomorrow when STCs in other Academy Cities collapse, but ours don't...
    * Aegis is informing SID... because we're SHIP control center. But isn't bothering to inform the Senate...
    * Can I take credit for this? After, all, if the Senate doesn't know what their own tool is doing... that's their failing.
    * ... \\\ Need to get my hands on this "RenBass" though...
  * **END**




	4. Wins and Losses

  * **Changes from WW Original**
    * Entirely new.
  * **Screen: Hotel Bedroom**
  * [Ren] 
    * The room is plush, the view out the window, beautiful...
    * The hotel, like everything else today, has been prearranged.
    * Lady Aegis has been the perfect manager, letting us focus on fighting and recovery.
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * Ten bubble clusters... That's how many Annie and I fought through today...
    * Some parts of the skyline in the distance wouldn't be there but for us.
    * ...
    * I'm exhausted...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie's phone rings...
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Oh... Hi hi, Lady Aegis!
    * Thanks for this hotel room! It's really sweet!
    * And the phone too. You even installed my favorite games!
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * I'm glad you like the hotel, Miss Cobb.
    * The phones for you and Miss Sakate are hardened security models.
    * You and Miss Sakate can use them to contact me.
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * Oh, so this way I won't have to embarrass Ren, just to talk to you?
    * And... "Cobb"... It's going to take me a while to get used to that!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * "Miss Sakate" too... \\\ But, I'm never going to let Ren forget "Teh Saka"!
  * Ren (eyes closed smile) 
    * You just have no appreciation...
  * Ren (mock angry) 
    * FOR WHAT AN AWESOME NAME THAT IS!!!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * HA HA HA HA!
  * Annie (curious) 
    * Oh, hey... you didn't stumble over "I" that time, Lady!
  * Lady Aegis 
    * Yes, my software is... adapting to this mode.
    * It is ... interesting.
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie sits on the bed by the window, chatting with Lady Aegis through her new phone...
    * She's oblivious to the second, ghostly Lady Aegis, perched a bit awkwardly on the edge of Annie's bed.
    * Perhaps the connection through the phone is allowing the Lady to manifest?
  * (Ren) (puzzled) 
    * Annie is almost desperate to chat. Is that a girl thing? I'm getting that feeling again though...
  * (Ren) (amused) 
    * Meanwhile the Lady is trying to keep up her end of the conversation... But I think "girl chat" is even more of a foreign language to her than it is to me!
  * Lady Aegis (puzzled) 
    * ... I see... And the cherry on top ... made it better? ...
  * (Ren) (shadow worried) 
    * Did I do this? ...
    * The Senate will probably not be very happy if I accidentally caused the city's crucial, substance H based, defense system AI to become sentient...
    * ...
  * (Ren) (big smile) 
    * Ah well... I'll worry about it later!
    * Right now I've got to peeeeeee!!!
  * **Screen: Hotel Bathroom**
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Right, I've already done this several times...
    * Unzip skirt on left side; step out of it; pull down the panties; ...
  * [Ren] 
    * And turn... and find myself facing the mirror...
    * And suddenly it hits me...
    * The thing I've been avoiding all day...
  * (Ren) (shock horror) 
    * It's gone... \\\ amputated... \\\ excised... **[FX: Red flashes between words]**
  * [Ren] 
    * Just this stranger facing me. This strange girl who might be my sister.
    * Standing there, clothes on, except for her unclothed hips and groin...
  * (Ren) (shock horror) 
    * Just bare... \\\ Nothing there...
    * Gone... \\\ Removed... \\\ Severed... \\\ Ripped Out! **[FX: Red flashes between words]**
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Annie (offscreen) 
    * Ren? ... Ren? ... REN??
    * I'm coming in!
  * Ren (shock) 
    * It's gone... Gone... Gone...
    * Never coming back...
  * [Ren] 
    * I hear the door open, and someone rushes in...
  * Annie (worried) 
    * Ren?? Are you okay? What's wrong?
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * It's gone...
  * Annie (baffled worried) 
    * What's gone?
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * ... \\\ My dick. \\\ It's gone.
  * Annie (confused) 
    * ...
  * Annie (smiling) 
    * Maybe you misplaced it?
  * Ren (teary) 
    * Misplaced it?
  * Annie (smile) 
    * When did you last use it? Maybe you left it there!
  * Ren (totally bawling) 
    * Waaaaahhhhhh!
  * Annie (worried) 
    * Ren?? \\\ I'm sorry!
    * Was it something important??
  * Ren (upset) 
    * Important???
  * Ren (bawling) 
    * WAAAAAHHHHH!!!
  * **Screen: Hotel Bedroom**
  * [Ren] 
    * Ten minutes of bawling like a little girl later...
    * But at least with skirt and panties back on...
    * And thankfully, the Lady is not here to see me like this...
  * Ren (sniffling) 
    * Thanks Annie. \\\ [Sniff] \\\ I'm sorry... \\\ I'm... I'm not usually like this.
  * Annie (comforting smile) 
    * Ren, it's okay. \\\ Hey, just tell me what it is. \\\ But it's okay if you don't too.
  * Ren (appreciative smile) 
    * Okay thanks...
  * Ren (puzzled sideglance) 
    * Umm... How did you know?
    * ... That I was... upset?
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * Weird huh? ... I've been getting that all day...
    * Like I know what you're feeling, even when I'm not looking at you.
    * I guess I wasn't just imagining it, huh?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * I've been getting that too...
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * ...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * And ... The same goes for me. \\\ I'm not going to ask...
    * But if you want to... talk about it...
  * Annie (evasive) 
    * ... \\\ I... I think... \\\ I don't want to...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * I'm a boy.
    * That's why I'm upset. \\\ Because I'm a boy. \\\ And I've turned into a girl. \\\ And my dick is gone.
  * Ren (eyes closed shadow smile) 
    * And I really, really miss it.
    * (I think this qualifies as "Changing the Subject.")
  * Annie (shocked) 
    * WHAAATTTT???
  * Ren (eyes closed shadow smile) 
    * ... \\\ So, here's what I didn't tell you before...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black [Time Skip]**
  * Annie (stunned) 
    * Wow. \\\ That's pretty crazy.
    * The whole city was destroyed? \\\ And that thing poured into you?
    * Then you woke up, city is fine, but you're a girl?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Yeah, at least, that's what I remember.
  * Annie (slightly crazed) 
    * So the price of saving the city...
    * ...and everyone in it...
    * ...is... is... you becoming a girl?
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (slightly crazed) 
    * I'm sorry... I can't help it...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * AH HA HA HA HA HA HAH!
  * Ren (annoyed) 
    * ...
  * Annie (crying laughing) 
    * Oh my... Oh, it's killing me...
    * HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
  * Ren (smirk) 
    * Okay... It _is_ pretty absurd...
    * Heh heh heh...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
  * Ren (laughing) 
    * AH HA HA HA HA HA HAH!
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Five minutes later...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * You know... Now that some time has passed...
  * Annie (helpful) 
    * ...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * I really, really, REALLY need to pee!
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * ...
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Dash! Yank Open! Slam Closed! Unzip! Yank Down! Yank Down! Step Out!]
    * [Sploooosshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]
  * Ren (offscreen) 
    * Ahhhhhhhh... \\\ Soooooo much better!
    * ...
    * Wow... I bet I could have filled a liter soda bottle with that!
    * Though aim kind of sucks...
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * (Yep... That's a guy thing.)
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * (Though, I used to do that too...)
    * (Drove Mom nuts...)
  * Ren (offscreen) 
    * Soo, Annie....
    * Do I just let it drip dry? Or what?
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * (I'm going to be getting a lot of this sort of thing, aren't I?)
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * [Narrator] 
    * 1 AM and the city is darker now. Sirens sound dimly in the distance.
  * [Ren] (sleeping) [Outfit: Her old blue striped shirt.] 
    * Zzzzz...
  * [Annie] (sleeping) [Outfit: girls nightshirt] 
    * Snort... Zzzzz....
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * Sirens... MD is engaging hostiles at STC 11...
    * These two children have a full day tomorrow.
  * Lady Aegis (serious) 
    * All of my children must be protected...
    * But these two in particular...
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * I will watch over them.
  * **END** **** ****



* * *

  * **Extras!** ****
  * Details too small to include in story...
  * Ren & Annie STC Schedule, Day 1 
    * 8 am: --, 5, 4, Lunch,
    * Noon: 7, 13, 3, 2,
    * 4 pm: break, 7, 8, Dinner,
    * 8 pm: 6, 8, 12, 10,
    * MidN: Sleep
    * Total: 10 STCs
  * MD (Police) STC Schedule 
    * Daytime STCs 1 and 9 during day; In prep to handle STC early next day.
    * Note that MD has to wait for STCs to pop.
  * Annie and Ren's New Phones 
    * Looks like a typical brand phone, but its been rebuilt inside and had additional software installed to maximize security.
    * These phones are used by SID, Senate, etc.
    * Aegis just sent an order for a couple to be delivered to Annie & Ren, and probably had some custom software installed on them to facilitate her communication with Ren & Annie.
    * (Annie had no phone; and Ren's old phone was a standard phone - and thus pretty insecure.)




	5. Bats and Bras

  * **Screen: Baseball Field at Night, Annie Solo Practice**
  * [Narrator] 
    * It's late and the night is sultry. Crickets chirp, horns honk in the distance.
    * Two overhead lights shine down on an isolated backlot baseball field...
    * Rusted chain link fence, scuffed brown dirt, barely there, white chalk lines.
    * A twin-tailed, blue-haired girl stands at home plate...
    * Torn baseball shirt, ragged shorts, dirt smudged skin, bubble gum popping.
    * A blue, dog-like pitching machine sits on the pitchers mound, spitting one ball after another at the girl...
    * Fastball, curveball, sinker, screwball...
    * Each pitch is calmly batted away. But in impossible ways...
    * Hopping along the ground; zigzagging angularly; looping roller coaster hoops; circling in the air like fat summer flies.
    * Like a circus of trained chihuahuas, each ball performs its own trick, until each tires, and then hops, rolls and jumps obediently back into the machine's hopper, ready for the next go-around.
    * ...
    * It's later and the night is still sultry. Crickets and horns still chirp and honk. The girl practices on, bubble-gum popping, twin tails swinging.
    * No one there. Just a dusty teddy bear — brown, blue, white, tophatted — sitting in the dirt, propped against the chain link fence — watching, waiting, guarding, loving.
  * **Screen: Hotel Room**
  * [Ren] 
    * Morning, light streaming in through the hotel window...
    * I slide out of bed, look down and...
    * Oh yeah.... _This_...
  * (Ren) (resigned) [Outfit: sleepwear] 
    * Softer, smoother legs... \\\ Smooth, flat crotch...
    * Mounds shifting about on my chest, tenting my shirt out...
    * Long hair cascading softly over my back and shoulders...
  * (Ren) (sideglance embarrassed) 
    * What freaks me out the most is...
    * A part of me is going...
  * (Ren) (eyes closed happy smile) 
    * _Oh, I look good!_
  * (Ren) (sideglance embarrassed) 
    * ...
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * Forget about that for now!
  * (Ren) (puzzled) 
    * Was that a dream? Or a memory?
  * [Ren] 
    * I glance over at Annie, yawning as she slides out of her bed.
    * Strange to wake up next to another girl...
    * ... "another" girl. ... Sigh.
  * Annie (sleepy) [Outfit: sleepwear] 
    * What?? Don't look at me like that!
    * Especially when I haven't had my coffee yet...
  * Ren (eyes closed embarrassed smile) 
    * Heh, heh, sorry!
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * ...
    * I think I know how you do that juggling thing with baseballs...
  * Annie (outraged) 
    * WHAATTT???
    * Do you know how long I practiced to learn that? How many nights I spent practicing?
    * Hours and hours and hours and hours...
  * Ren (apologetic) 
    * Sorry, sorry!
  * **Fade to black [Time pass]**
  * Annie (grumbling) [Outfit: battlesuit] 
    * Okay, I'm done with the restroom you... skills thief... sign stealing... base dragging...
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * (She's still grumbling.)
  * Annie (surprise) 
    * Oh is that coffee? Don't think you can bribe me with...
  * Annie (mollified) 
    * Oh, hazelnut! ... \\\ Smells gooood...
  * Ren (teary smile) 
    * (A sudden irresistible urge... \\\ I hug her tightly... adoringly.)
  * Annie (happy surprise) 
    * Hey, hey! What's this for?
  * Ren (confused happy) 
    * I don't... know? \\\ (My head is just a confused storm...)
    * For... Being Annie? \\\ (But a very happy storm!)
  * Annie (eyes closed happy) 
    * You're so... all over the place, you know that?
  * Ren (laughing) 
    * Yep! Yep! Yep!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Right, go get cleaned and dressed while I commune with the coffee...
  * Ren (mock serious) 
    * Right, right. New morning, new me! Time for Ode to my Balls!
    * Oh BALLS! \\\ Mr Left, Mr Right, \\\ Mr. High, Mr. Low... \\\ Ohhh, I miss you so!
  * [Annie] 
    * Thankfully the bathroom door closes, and muffles the rest of Ren's "singing"...
  * (Annie) (relaxed happy) 
    * Ahhhh... Coffee...
    * Hotline to Ren's emotions... \\\ So chaotic at times!
  * (Annie) (tearful happy) 
    * But that hug... \\\ I needed that... \\\ Sooo comforting!
    * ...
  * Ren (offscreen) 
    * Annie... About this bra. How the hell do I...
  * Annie (resigned) 
    * ... \\\ Here we go again...
  * **Fade to black [Time pass]**
  * Annie (offscreen) 
    * Quit being so delicate! You've got to manhandle them a bit!
    * Here... Just grab them and push them around. Show them who's boss!
  * Ren (offscreen) 
    * Urk! Yeep!
    * Okay! Okay! I got it! I got it!
    * ...
    * And umm... the stockings? They won't stay up!
  * Annie (offscreen) 
    * Sheesh! ... Okay, well... there _is_ a trick to Mr Cohen's stockings...
    * See... like this....
  * **Fade to black [Time pass]**
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Okay, ready?
  * Ren (blush sideglance) [Outfit: Battlesuit] 
    * Yeah...
    * (I'm never going to get used to this...)
  * Ren (surprised blush) 
    * (Ohh... They _are_ even now!)
  * Annie (mocking) 
    * And quit admiring your breasts!
  * Ren (shadow blush) 
    * ...
  * [Ren] 
    * Outside the hotel, an autocab awaits for us.
    * Another full day of fights lies ahead.
    * I hope things are going well elsewhere...
  * **Screen: News Broadcast**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Spacetime Cluster Crisis: Special News Report...
  * Announcer: 
    * In Salmonton, the landmark 110 story Niederwerth Tower in Koblenz district has collapsed.
    * Although evacuated, tens of deaths have been reported, and more are expected.
    * Of the Academy Cities, Salmonton has been hardest hit, with property destruction in the billions and casualties up and down the Rhine.
    * The other Academy Cities - Hovering Palace New Moridas, Masada Ford and Lebona Isles - have also taken damage and suffered casualties; though to a much lesser degree than Salmonton.
    * Here in New Opulentia, only two collapses have occurred thus far, both in relatively unoccupied areas.
    * Police continue to cordon off and evacuate areas.
    * The military has also been occupied with incidents outside the city.
    * Speculation reigns as to whether we have Aegis or the Senate to thank for our relatively light STC incidence.
    * ... Cutting now to Lebona Isles, where another collapse...
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras!**
  * Details too small to include in story...
  * Sleepwear 
    * Courtesy of Mr. Cohen, and included in the hold-all backpack that he gave to Ren.
    * Ren's sleepwear is her old striped shirt and her pair of blue boxers.
    * Apparently while this would be "garbage" for wearing at any other time, its okay for nightwear.
    * Annie's sleepwear is a loose fitting nightshirt.
  * Mr Cohen's Stockings 
    * Can't have stockings slipping in battle!
    * Top of stocking has a seal that activates when it lies flat against skin...
    * So roll top of stocking back, pull stockings up, then flip the top back flat with the skin.
    * This activates seal not just at the top, but over the entire stocking.
    * Reverse process to remove.
    * Stockings, like rest of battlesuit, are much tougher than they look, and can channel the witches various magical and physical resistances.




	6. SID Tracking

  * **Screen: SID Command Center**
  * Aya (tired) 
    * I've been over the bodies from STC 11. Nothing new there.
    * Plus I had to wade through ten times as many corpses!
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Be glad you're not in Salmonton, or you'd be buried in bodies.
  * Aya (frown) 
    * ...
  * Agent Anderson (annoyed) 
    * There! ... And again... It's gone.
  * Mariru (inquiring) 
    * Anderson, have something?
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Distracted boyfriend ma'am. But it was just erased.
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Hmm... Backup a bit and review...
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Yes ma'am...
    * I searched for any persons present at all scenes. One person present at three. Three persons present at two.
    * That's within statistical expectations, and far short of someone present at 10-20 scenes.
    * Then I did visual review of scenes looking for 1-2 people, with height around 5' to 5' 4".
    * That resulted in nothing new, all people in that range already registered in the previous search.
  * Mariru (thoughtful) 
    * We're talking Aegis though. And Aegis would have access to our Memories software.
  * Agent Anderson (serious) 
    * Exactly. So I started searching for "Distracted Boyfriends"...
  * Aya (curious) 
    * "Distracted boyfriends"? And, what's "Memories"?
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Memories is a program for erasing people from surveillance. Wireless tracking, video, audio surveillance, autocab records... Everything.
    * You could walk through Grand Concourse Station, and we could make it so that never happened in every digital record.
    * Or we could replace you with another person, or an NPC.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * We use NPC insertion to build up credibility for NPC social media accounts.
  * Aya (interested happy) 
    * Wait, so... If Jane murders Joe in an alley with no witnesses, you can replace Jane with Diane?
    * Or someone who never really existed at all?
    * You info warfare guys have the coolest tools!
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Yes ma'am. And you caught on to the problem... Real witnesses, and their reactions.
    * E.g. Jane walks through plaza, you erase Jane... But there's also Joe, who turned briefly to check out Jane.
    * Any sort of reaction like that is a "distracted boyfriend".
  * Aya (mock sadness) 
    * Ah the perils of being a beautiful murderess!
  * [Narrator] 
    * Bonk!
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * So you found some "Distracted boyfriends"? I thought Memories was handling those now.
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Yes ma'am, it does... But it's a work in progress. Memories still misses some.
    * And I found some apparent examples of "distracted boyfriends".
    * But... Almost as soon as I find them, they get edited out. I've just had the third one disappear on me.
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * Getting the feeling that Aegis is peering over your shoulder, Anderson?
  * Anderson (worried) 
    * Yes ma'am. It's a bit... alarming.
    * Though I expect Aegis is just tracking my database queries and noticing when I focus in on something.
  * Mariru (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm...
    * If we can't find RenBass, then neither can the opposition. That's good.
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Keep at it Anderson. Consider Aegis to be your silent partner...
    * ... But keep local copies of any changes.
  * [Mariru] 
    * Aegis is thoroughly protecting RenBass.
    * Senate conference this afternoon... I need a better explanation than "Countermeasures are being deployed."
    * But "I don't really know, but I think it's a couple of kids run by Aegis in a covert op..."
    * Shit!
  * **Transition: Fade to Black [Time Lapse]**
  * **Screen: Computer Screen w Chat Window**
  * Aegis 
    * Operational security for unit RenBass: priority S.
    * Assistance in maintaining operational security is appreciated.
    * To avoid wasted resources, additional information will be provided.
  * **Screen: SID Command Center**
  * Anderson (calmly shocked) 
    * Director, I have something for you.
    * This chat screen just popped up...
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Let's see...
  * Aegis 
    * Unit RenBass: Ren Sakate, Annette Cobb.
  * **Image: Ren (worried)**
    * Ren Sakate (formerly PRen)
    * 15 yo, female (formerly male)
    * SH Level: S+ (measurement limit reached)
  * **Image: PRen (neutral)**
    * Old ID: PRen: Marked as missing.
  * **Image: Annie (laughing)**
    * Annie Cobb (formerly Annie Bass)
    * 22 yo (apparent age 15 yo), female
    * SH Level: A
    * Old ID: Annie Bass: Remains presumed dead.
  * AEGIS 
    * SoulIDs have been shifted to new IDs.
    * New identities assembled using SID NPC Generator.
    * Additional deployment details as follows...
  * **Screen: SID Command Center**
  * Mariru (shocked) 
    * Well.... Damn!
    * Formerly male??
    * And Annie God Damned Bass!
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Getting paths through crowds, travel info, etc.
    * Here's info on new IDs...
    * Ren Sakate: Father lost in war. Mother: Ako Sakate.
    * Annette Cobb: War orphan. Adopted by Ako Sakate.
    * Ako Sakate: Another NPC ID... Recently deceased.
    * Both home schooled, both emancipated.
    * Annie Bass, ma'am?
  * Mariru (pleased) 
    * High school baseball player, Lebona Isles, very talented.
    * Lost with everyone else in the Light of Lebona Incident.
    * Suspected to have occult powers. Well... That's confirmed now.
    * And not a day older than the day she disappeared...
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Anderson, priorities...
    * #1: Assist Aegis with operational security.
    * #2: Review PRen/Ren Sakate for anything interesting.
    * #3: Check for anything on Annie Bass as well, especially since her disappearance.
  * Agent Anderson 
    * Yes, Ma'am.
  * (Mariru) (thoughtful) 
    * Both high level SH... \\\ Witches?
    * And, Ren is _formerly_ male??
  * (Mariru) (amused) 
    * Decided to join the winning team, boy?
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Aya, working on next set of bodies?
  * Aya (video happy) 
    * Yes... Ohh... More baseball strikes in the two batches from today!
  * Mariru 
    * Aegis has provided info on RenBass, current and previous IDs. Forwarding it to you...
    * Go over medical records from their former identities and see if you can find anything.
  * Aya (video excited) 
    * Oh... What a couple of cuties!
    * Formerly male?? \\\ And the other is seven years younger than she should be??
    * Ohh... You have to let me get my hands on them!
  * Aya (flushed) 
    * Kill count of 58 yesterday, and already another 13 today!
    * I'm just going to print these pics out and hang them by my...
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * You have a Bonk! coming!
  * Aya (frown) 
    * ...
  * (Mariru) (thoughtful) 
    * Aegis... Cares only about defense of the city. \\\ Informs me, but not the Senate...
    * RenBass probably fell in Aegis lap, and it adjusted...
    * But SID can make much better use of them in the long run...
  * **Screen: Aegis Computer Screen**
  * [Mariru] 
    * NPC Application launched...
    * Edit Ren Sakate and Annette Cobb...
    * Delete Emancipations...
    * Replace with: Guardian: Mariru von Braun
    * Reconcile: Autogenerating custodial documents, court filings, judgments... \\\ Complete
    * Confirm changes... \\\ Accepted.
  * **Screen: SID Command Center**
  * Mariru (pleased) 
    * **Image: Photo of Ren and Annie laughing to either side of a pleased Mariru.**
    * Even a nice picture of me and my two girls... Lovely!
    * Now let's see if Aegis objects...
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras!**
  * Details too small to include in story...
  * SID Command Center & Mariru 
    * Workstations for 10 people, 20 at a crunch. Currently about 15-18 people.
    * Anderson's station is somewhat isolated in a back corner; the room has a lot of white noise; and Mariru and Aya are talking fairly quietly with Anderson. So, their conversation isn't leaking to the rest of the room.
    * Although Ren & Annie have drastically reduced the damage of the STCs, SID is still busy coordinating evacuations, cordoning off areas, etc.
    * SID is also coordinating with the military who are handling the STCs outside the city, in the neighboring countryside and villages.
    * SID is also tracking the Cluster Crisis handling in other Academy Cities.
    * Mariru is director for all of this, so she has only a limited amount of time to spend on "RenBass".
  * Aya and Mariru have a long history, and often brainstorm with each other. Consequently, Aya tends to wander in and out of the command center, when she has free time from her own work.




	7. Combat and Capture

  * **Screen: Distorted Park-Walkway, Witch Fight**
  * Annie (yelling) 
    * RENNIE, BEARS ON THE WAY!
  * Ren (yelling) 
    * OKAAYYY!! THANK YOU!!!
  * Ren (apologetic yelling) 
    * SORRY MISS IDOL!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie has sent the bears to help with the musician idol...
    * It's going to get messy... I'm tempted to close my eyes...
    * But that's a Rennie impulse...
    * Instead, I swap to a soldier girl, while juggling the "homers" between the idol and the two other soldiers.
  * Annie (happy) 
    * You're getting good at that, Ren!
  * Ren (small smile) 
    * The ball juggling is pretty cool...
  * (Ren) (frown) 
    * But it only works for while, then I need to wait for the bat to recharge...
    * Annie didn't have that problem though. Maybe I'm doing something wrong?
  * [Ren] 
    * Another group of cats spawn, and Annie takes them on.
    * Mr Extractor is definitely spawning off kills. Annie is easily keeping four Mr Hats up.
    * The idol drops... A mini radio tower??
  * (Ren) (worried) 
    * Shit! I thought the idol was a goner, but the bears have all dropped, and the idol is still going strong!
    * Not just the bears... Annie and I have taken a lot of damage too!
  * Annie (commanding) 
    * Ren, RETREAT! RETREAT!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie drops Mr Pitch, and as it starts blasting away on the idol and soldiers.
  * Ren (yelling) 
    * RIGHT BEHIND YOU ANNIE!!!
    * GO, GO GO!
  * **Transition: Fade to Black [Time Pass]**
  * **Screen: Distorted Alleyway**
  * Annie (relieved) 
    * Yay, ditched them! \\\ That was close!
  * Ren (cry worried) 
    * Oh, Annie, how many shots did you take?
    * And you really got clawed up too...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Heh, heh, heh...
    * It's so funny when you fuss over me!
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * I... I get worried about you...
    * (I get like this after every fight where Annie gets really hurt.)
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * Whew, they're healing up! \\\ Yay, out-of-combat healing!
  * Annie (smile) 
    * It's a lifesaver, for sure!
  * [Ren] 
    * The worrying fades into relief as bullets slide out, and my and Annie's wounds heal up..
  * Ren (apologetic) 
    * Sorry... I was so focused on getting the ball juggling down...
    * What happened there?
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * That idol didn't seem to hit that hard... But...
    * That radio tower thing... Kind of like a cheerleader, maybe?
  * Ren (excited) 
    * Oh, a damage buff mob! Cool! Now we're talking!
    * Hmm... Okay, let's try this then...
    * [...]
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * Sounds good. And one more thing to try...
    * The bat used to run out of power for me too.
    * But there's something we can try for that...
  * **Screen: Distorted Overpass**
  * Annie 
    * RENNIE, BEARS ON THE WAY!
  * Ren 
    * OKAAYYY!! THANK YOU!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Back in the same spot, but the enemies have reset, so we're having to repeat everything.
    * This time, I'm focusing on the idol, keeping her separate from the others.
    * She pops the tower... but Annie is keeping the other mobs away from the buff area.
  * Annie 
    * MR PITCH! TAKE IT AWAY!
  * [Ren] 
    * This time Annie focuses Mr Pitch on the idol, and... Down she goes!
  * Ren (cheering) 
    * YES! WE _CAN_ STOP THE MUSIC!!
  * Annie (concentrating) 
    * Okay, now Rennie!
  * Ren (smiling) 
    * Okie doke!
  * [Ren] 
    * The bat is out of juice, so Annie and I dance together and trade weapons...
  * (Ren) (puzzled) 
    * Feels weird... Just this huge mallet...
  * [Ren] 
    * But it feels powered up... I take it to the kitties, as Annie focuses on the soldiers.
    * Right away, I feel something...
    * Sure enough, a Mr Hat spawns off the first kitty that goes down.
  * (Ren) (excited) 
    * ROCKIN!
  * Mr Hat (puzzled) 
    * #@###@#?
  * Ren (happy) 
    * Yes, yes, it's me! HI, MR HAT!
  * Mr Hat (skeptical) 
    * F@## ###!!!
  * Ren (frown) 
    * Really? Is that _really_ called for??
  * Ren (raging) 
    * FINE, FINE DON'T CARE ABOUT ME!
    * GO HELP ANNIE, THEN!
    * INGRATE!
  * [Ren] 
    * Mr Hat toddles off to help Annie, who greets him happily.
    * I finish off the rest of the cats, sending more ungrateful little bears off to help Annie.
  * **Screen: Distorted Rooftop**
  * [Ren] 
    * Two clusters later...
  * Ren (annoyed) 
    * Damn, what a pain! That knight just would NOT go down...
  * Annie (relieved) 
    * At least the two archers did not respawn after we retreated...
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * Yeah, I still don't understand that...
    * I guess the "real" mobs don't respawn after dying?
  * Annie (frown) 
    * ...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Shit! I shouldn't have reminded Annie about the "real" witches...
  * [Ren] 
    * But that's the seventh cluster today finished...
    * Follow the routine... Annie cleans weapons while I handle the loot.
    * This time, it's a couple of schoolgirls and one older lady.
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * Blue boxes again...
  * [Ren] 
    * Yesterday, I started hiding the bodies out the way when I could.
    * Then these blue boxes started showing up this morning at every bubble.
    * Boxes: body sized and conveniently empty...
    * Lady Aegis says its not her. Probably SID.
    * ... I don't want to think about it. ...
    * I move the bodies into the boxes, straighten their clothes...
    * And say a brief prayer over each of them.
    * I turn, and find Annie by my side...
  * Annie (tearful) 
    * I'll help with the prayers next time, Ren.
  * Annie (tear smile) 
    * I guess you're a little contagious too!
  * [Ren] 
    * I give her a hug...
  * Ren (eyes closed smile) 
    * Thanks, Annie.
  * Ren (reassuring) 
    * Not too much longer...
    * Seven more clusters to go.
    * If Aegis is right about no more clusters, then that should be it.
  * Annie (sad smile) 
    * I know...
  * [Ren] 
    * We join hands and take our leave.
  * **Screen: Warehouse Rooftop Overlooking Abandoned Street**
  * Captain Enzo (neutral) [Nantetsu] 
    * SID spooks are ready, Lieutenant.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (neutral) 
    * Yes sir.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (commanding) 
    * Three minutes, men!
    * Check your safeties, check your ammo.
    * Red is dead, green is pass!
  * Agent Carter (neutral) [Shoulder length black hair] 
    * I'm right here you know...
  * Captain Enzo (shocked) 
    * Shit! I didn't see you! \\\ You really...
  * Captain Enzo (charming) 
    * ...spooked me!
    * HA HA HA HA!
  * Agent Carter (annoyed/amused) 
    * Idiot.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Muffled chuckles sound out from the 30 odd MD special forces members on the roof.
    * All are kneeling down, crouched over their rifles, ready to fire into the street below
  * (Agent Carter) (annoyed/amused) 
    * He lightened the tension perfectly though.
    * Not surprising that even the Director holds him in regard.
  * **Screen: End of Street Cul-de-Sac**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Eyes turn towards the end of the street, 100 yards away...
    * The old warehouses that lined the far end of the street have been knocked down, and the rubble remnants bulldozed to form a cul-de-sac with the abandoned street the only exit...
    * A warning chime marks the ending of the three minutes, and...
    * [POP!]
    * A burst of light and sound in the center of the cul-de-sac, and... A group of 40-50 women and girls appear.
    * Working class folks. Cleaners, shopkeepers, students; most armed with occult weapons.
  * Captain Enzo 
    * They look a bit lost...
  * [Narrator] 
    * A set of SID black drones intercepts the women, targets the women, and...
    * ...tags each with a red or green spray of paint.
    * Firecaster enemies take out the drones, but the marking is done.
  * Captain Enzo (yelling) 
    * YO, LADIES!!! OVER HERE!!!
  * **Screen: Warehouse Rooftop Overlooking Abandoned Street**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Enzo has dropped down to street level, and climbed on top of a platform in the middle.
    * Standing there, he draws the wrath of the hostile mob, who begin running full tilt towards him.
    * Two Elite MD shield guards stand near him, ready to cover the captain.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (commanding) 
    * Group A! Open fire!
  * [Narrator] 
    * A fusillade bullets pours into the mob from the rooftops, focusing on red tagged targets.
    * It takes 5-10 bullets per hostile, but within seconds all red-tagged mobs go down.
    * The rest continue running towards Captain Enzo...
  * Lieutenant Hirono 
    * Group A stand down! \\\ Group B, open fire!
  * [Narrator] 
    * A second, fusillade begins, this time with tranquilizer rounds.
    * Dosage has been quadrupled, but it still takes 5-8 rounds per target before they take effect, and the remaining enemies go down.
  * Agent Carter (neutral) 
    * Delta Team, Go!
  * [Narrator] 
    * A group of SID agents enters the street from a warehouse below and begins securing each of the targets.
    * Captain Enzo and his two shield guards join the agents, providing extra protection.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (neutral) 
    * Group B, eyes on remaining targets! Hit them again if need be.
    * Try not to hit the spooks... They get cranky.
  * Agent Carter (annoyed sideglance) 
    * ...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black [Time Pass]**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ten tense minutes later, all hostiles are secured.
  * Agent Carter (neutral) 
    * Thank you, Captain, Lieutenant. Smoothly done.
  * Captain Enzo (charming) 
    * Want to join us for some pizza, Agent?
    * Hirono and I are about to grab a bite.
  * Agent Carter (small smile) 
    * Not this time, I've still got a full schedule tonight.
    * And, minds don't wipe themselves, you know.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Carter departs with a small wave to Enzo and Hirono.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (surprised) 
    * Shit. Spook has a sense of humor!
  * Captain Enzo (smirking) 
    * Black humor maybe. Or a threat.
  * Captain Enzo (serious) 
    * I've had a few blank spots on cases where SID stepped in.
    * Want to keep your memories? Don't tell SID any more than you have to.
  * Lieutenant Hirono (serious) 
    * Right... Wait, what were we talking about?
  * Captain Enzo (laughing) 
    * Asshole!
  * **END**




	8. Report and Rapport

  * **Screen: Video Conference**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Senate/SID Video Conference.
  * President Kirs (serious) 
    * Lets get to business...
    * Dr von Braun, I understand that you've acquired live specimens?
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * Correct, we have secured eleven specimens. They are currently in holding and undergoing testing.
  * Dr. Bright (neutral) 
    * I hope that you have them constantly sedated? Reports that I'm getting in from Salmonton and Hovering Palace indicate heightened metabolism, resulting in seizures, organ damage, etc.
    * Also, I require immediate access to the subjects. Preferably receiving some for my own testing.
  * Director von Braun (frown) 
    * We only recently received them, and I've seen those reports as well - they are being kept sedated.
    * As for access, SID currently has...
  * Dr. Bright (serious) 
    * This is not a request, Director. Arrange it immediately. I expect to have access within an hour.
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * As I was saying... SID currently has them in our Magome facility.
    * I'm sure Dr. Aya will be glad to see you there shortly.
    * And a mutual exchange of testing results would be welcome.
  * Dr. Bright (accepting) 
    * Humph... Indeed...
    * Dr. Aya's biological testing and analysis are well known. That should pair well with my meme/psychological testing.
  * President Kirs 
    * Excellent. The rest of us look forward to seeing the results of both Dr. Aya's and Dr. Bright's tests.
    * Now, on to the status of other cities... Where info do you have, Dr. von Braun?
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * We only have general information...
    * Hovering Palace has deployed a stabilization technique. STFs still collapse, but the final collapse is slowed, thus having minimal impact on nearby structures.
    * Masada Ford and New Moridas have deployed an early collapse technique. Structural damage is reduced, but higher than the Hovering Palace technique. Technique was developed in Masada Ford and acquired by New Moridas.
    * Salmonton has no known mitigation. And due to their high Substance H stockpile, particularly near dense population and infrastructure areas, they have had fifteen major collapses, with Niederwerth Tower being the worst.
    * Lebona Isles has no known mitigation. Their lower incidence count is likely due to a lower Substance H stockpile.
  * Dr. Eloise 
    * The stabilization and early collapse techniques are not news. We've been in negotiation with both Hovering Palace and Masada Ford for months in regard to acquiring their respective techniques.
    * We have to wonder if the current crisis is a ploy to push negotiations forward.
    * In which case, it certainly would be working except for...
  * President Kirs 
    * Exactly. We seem to have our own early collapse technique. One that causes zero structural damage.
    * You've been stalling all day, Mariru. What exactly do you have?
  * Director von Braun (smile) 
    * A side project of mine... Paid off sooner than I expected.
    * Two occult individuals under my control, have an ability to cause an early collapse.
    * They do this by acting not on the STF itself, but rather on the individuals that are seeding the current collapse.
    * The "seeds" are forced out of the STF, killing them in the process, and this causes the STF to disperse safely.
  * Dr. C# 
    * Interesting...
    * But if they require "seeds" to do the job, then they won't be useful for STFs that aren't centered around seed individuals.
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * I'll need to do more testing to be sure. But yes, that may well be the case.
  * Dr. Kirs 
    * Well, unfortunately, this doesn't sound like something we can sell. Unless we can duplicate their abilities?
  * Director von Braun (neutral) 
    * The individuals are unique. At this time, duplication is not possible.
  * Eloise 
    * We can still use them to bluff in our negotiations. Present a stronger hand than we have...
  * Dr. Kirs 
    * We'll want more information on these two, Dr von Braun.
  * Dr. Bright 
    * Indeed, I am most interested. Even more so than in the STF hostiles.
  * Director von Braun (frown) 
    * Understood. However, I am running the two of them quite ragged at the moment.
    * They'll need recovery time after this is done. This is one set of tools that I don't want to break.
  * Dr. C# 
    * That _would_ be unfortunate.
  * Dr Kirs 
    * Very well, Dr. von Braun. We know you have your hands full. We'll confer again after the current crisis is over.
    * And good work. We can hardly deny the benefits of your work in this crisis.
    * Though a little more forewarning, next time, eh?
  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * (Mariru) (frown) 
    * Mixing truth with lies...
    * I need my hands on those two, or this gamble is going to end poorly.
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Anderson, what do you have?
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Carter got eyes on targets in STC 22 final STF area, but lost them after they entered an autocab.
    * No routing info from Aegis until scheduled arrival at STC 25 after a one hour break.
    * Targets are continuing to use the boxes that we've set out. Bodies are on way to Dr. Aya.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * (Can't be too aggressive about following - one set of erasures using Memories is difficult enough.)
    * How about PRen? Anything interesting?
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Nothing remarkable, ma'am.
    * Mother lost in the Great Tribulation; father missing, presumed dead six months later.
    * Raised in a war orphanage. Well behaved, but not outgoing. No fosterage.
    * Solid, but not outstanding student. But... Shelf full of platinum gaming trophies.
    * Not tested for occult talent. But also no indications of odd behavior or incidents along that line.
    * Still under guardianship of CWS. But scheduled for emancipation soon.
    * Living independently for last two years, with regular checkins from CWS.
    * Not particularly social. No close friends.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * (Avid gamer... Likely underperforming in school.)
    * Hmm... Make a list of friends, associates, fellow orphans for us to interview.
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Yes, ma'am.
  * (Mariru) (neutral) 
    * Picking them up now would clinch my ownership, but would interfere with their STC schedule...
    * Not good. \\\ And Aegis _definitely_ would not be happy with any interference in city defense.
  * (Mariru) (resigned) 
    * I'll just have to wait until cluster handling is over.
    * On exit from last STC tomorrow might be good.
  * **Screen: Pizza Restaurant**
  * Hirono (surprised) 
    * Damn, Enzo, think there's enough meat on that thing?
  * Enzo (smile) 
    * Hey, when Vincetti's says "Meat Explosion", they're not messing around!
    * And what's with that veggie crap, Hirono?
    * Want a salad? That's fine. I won't judge.
  * Hirono (frown) 
    * Think I've seen enough dead meat today...
    * At least the other cluster sites have been spared.
  * Enzo (frown) 
    * ... \\\ Not totally. \\\ Body count is down, but...
  * Enzo (smile) 
    * Ah, forget I said anything...
  * Hirono (surprise) 
    * Oh?
  * Enzo (serious) 
    * Forget it. SID stuff.
  * Enzo (surprised) 
    * ... Hey, I know her!
  * Enzo (charming) 
    * HEY! Little Girl! \\\ Got yourself cleaned up, huh?
    * Looking good!
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Huh? Oh, Hi officer...
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * (Whew! Didn't say it!)
  * Ren (excited happy) 
    * ... HOTTIE! How's it going??
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * (... SHIT!)
  * Enzo (surprised) 
    * ...
  * Hirono (laughing) 
    * HA HA HA!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Rennie! What am I going to do with you?
  * Ren (deeply embarrassed) 
    * Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!
  * Enzo (charming) 
    * Well "Officer Hottie" is fine, but lets go with "Officer Enzo" or my staff will never let me hear the end of it!
  * Hirono (smile) 
    * And I'm Lieutenant Hirono.
  * Hirono (smirk) 
    * And he's actually _Captain_ Hottie.
  * Enzo (mock annoyed) 
    * Damn it, Hirono!
  * Ren (polite) 
    * Hello, nice to meet you.
    * I'm Ren Sakate. This is my sister, Annie Cobb.
  * Enzo (surprised/interested) 
    * Annie... Cobb? You look just like a baseball idol from years ago...
    * And your sister here, was loitering with a baseball bat yesterday...
  * Hirono (interested smile) 
    * Oh is this the one? Nothing wrong with the way she's dressed!
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * That was Annie's bat, I was just borrowing it...
  * Ren (happy smile) 
    * Annie's the baseball nerd. Seriously, she will not shut up about it!
  * Annie (mock anger) 
    * Shut up gaming geek!
    * And don't listen to her... I'm getting her trained up!
  * Hirono (smile) 
    * Cobb, huh? As in Ty?
    * So what do you know about the great Georgia Peach?
  * Annie (excited) 
    * The BEST. Multiple record holder! \\\ 4065 runs scored and batted in...
  * Ren (eyes closed shadow smile) 
    * (And... Off they go... RBI, bases stolen, career this, career that...)
  * [Ren] 
    * Pretty soon, we've been invited and are sitting next to them,
  * (Ren) (freaked) 
    * Correction... Annie is sitting next to the Lieutenant Hottish (DAMN IT!)...
    * And, I'm sitting next to Captain Hottie (SHIT!)...
    * And it's all I can do to stop my Ren-ko side from melting all over him...
    * And the Rennie side from just openly and loudly flirting with him...
    * Meanwhile, Ren-kun side is straight out intimidated. The dude is HUGE!
  * (Ren) (shadow eyes closed freaked) 
    * Do NOT think about how big it is! \\\ Do NOT think about how big it is!
    * ... \\\ SHIT! \\\ SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!
  * Lady Aegis (concerned) [ghostly/transparent] 
    * Are you okay, Ren-chan?
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * (Oh, Lady Aegis has shown up! Please distract me! PLEASE!!!)
    * [Hi, hi Lady A! Can you explain the baseball stuff they're talking about?]
    * (Cool, I can text her! ...)
  * Ren (sideglance) 
    * (Instead of looking like a lunatic talking to a woman who isn't there...)
    * (... \\\ Sitting on a chair that also isn't there.)
  * (Ren) (forbearing) 
    * And that's pretty much the rest of the meal...
    * Annie, Captain Hottie, and Lieutenant Hottish bantering baseball.
    * Me, occasionally chipping in, thanks to prompts from Lady Aegis.
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * ... And then, sixth inning, Juan just passes out on third base!
  * Hirono (unbelieving laughter) 
    * No way! With bases loaded???
  * (Ren) (happy) 
    * ... This is the happiest that I've seen Annie...
    * Okay, it's actually fun (even if I have no idea what they're talking about)!
    * And it's soooo relaxing after fighting all day...
  * Enzo (tears of laughter) 
    * HAHAHAHA! \\\ Oh gods, I'm dying!
  * (Ren) (smirk) 
    * Hmm... The way Captain H... _Enzo_ is looking at Annie?
    * Hiding it like a pro, but I know that look too well...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * Time to go. An autocab will arrive in two minutes for the next cluster.
  * Ren (polite) 
    * Sorry to interrupt, but we have an appointment.
    * Thank you for your time, Captain H... Enzo, Lieutenant Hirono.
  * Annie (disappointed) 
    * Ohh... Darn. But yeah, it's been a blast!
  * Enzo (charming) 
    * Our pleasure, Miss Sakate, Miss Cobb. I hope we see you two again.
  * Hirono (smile) 
    * You girls... That was quite a relief. We've been... busy the last two days.
    * And sorry about leaving you out Miss Sakate.
  * Ren (worried reassuring) 
    * No, no, it was fun to listen to!
  * Ren (laughing) 
    * And, at last I got to eat without Annie talking my ear off!
  * Annie (mock rage) 
    * WHAATTT???
  * Ren (happy) 
    * HA HA HA!
  * [Narrator] 
    * The two girls wave goodbye and dash out of the restaurant.
  * Enzo (happy) 
    * That was great! ...
  * Enzo (outraged) 
    * Hey, what happened to my pizza?
  * Hirono 
    * While you were busy talking, those two girls ate your mea....
    * Nope. Not going to say it.
    * But what was up with you and Annie?
  * Enzo (happy sideglance) 
    * Spitting image of Annie Bass... Attitude too...
    * Like a ghost come to life...
    * Man, I had the biggest crush on that girl...
    * Insane ball skills... And a total kick in the pants!
  * **Image: Annie's selfie photo with Ren, Enzo and Hirono**
  * **END**




	9. Questions Fielded

  * **Screen: Hotel Room**
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Dibs on window!
    * [Flumph!!]
  * [Ren] 
    * Another plush hotel room with a beautiful view of the city...
    * ... And Annie immediately claims and plops onto the window side bed.
  * (Ren) (smile) 
    * Lady Aegis is continuing to treat us well.
  * Annie (tired) 
    * Oh, I'm sooo exhausted! How many was it today? I lost count!
  * Ren (tired) 
    * Eleven clusters... You... Bed Ninja!
    * I'm grabbing the first bath though.
  * Annie (surprise) 
    * First? We can bathe together...
  * Ren (shock deep deep red blush) 
    * ...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Oh, don't be such a wimp!
    * Come on, lets go...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Annie (laughing) **[Outfit: Sleepwear]**
    * I can't believe that you kept your eyes closed the whole time!
    * And that nosebleed? \\\ I thought that was just a joke!
  * (Ren) (embarrassed sideglance) **[Outfit: Sleepwear]**
    * Well, not closed the _whole_ time...
    * I didn't know athletic girls could be so... \\\ ...
  * (Ren) (shadow blush) 
    * ... Now, I need an ice-cold shower even more!
  * [Ren] 
    * Deep breaths... Mood shift.
    * Ah that's better...
    * Except... Weird impulse...
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * Annie, can you... Can you do something with my hair?
    * I mean just brush it out? And maybe a pony tail?
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * Ohhh, hair stuff! ... Now you're getting into it!
    * Can do! But you have to do mine in turn!
  * Ren (deep blush) 
    * O... Okay.
    * (At least it's a safe impulse!)
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie pulls out the hair brush she bought earlier, sits me facing away on her bed, and goes to work.
  * (Ren) (worried) 
    * I'm still pretty freaked out about the hair when I think about it...
    * Well... Hair and everything else...
  * (Ren) (bliss) 
    * But... Ahhhh... This is _so_ calming....
    * I feel like a cat having its belly scritched...
  * [Ren] 
    * But now's a good time. I've got some questions...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Annie, what am I?
    * You said I wasn't a witch?
    * How do you know?
    * And what makes someone a witch anyway?
  * Annie (relaxed) 
    * Whoah, slow down, Ren! One question at a time!
  * Ren (little upset) 
    * Sorry! It's just getting to me...
  * Annie (serious) 
    * I don't know what you are; but you're definitely not a witch.
    * Witches are female, so...
  * Ren (surprised/happy) 
    * Oh! So, I'm not...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Hold on, I'm getting to it!
  * Annie (serious) 
    * When we're fighting... Even when you're in Rennie mode...
    * You feel male.
    * It absolutely feels like there's a guy there, backing me up.
    * So, I wasn't _totally_ surprised when you told me last night.
    * But, it's more than just presence...
    * There's a male energy that flows off you... And strengthens me
    * I guess you wouldn't know, but my power level is at least twice what it is normally.
  * Ren (smug) 
    * Oh really?
    * (Oh, yeah! Who's the man, baby!)
  * Annie (mocking) 
    * Oh, but before you get so smug, Mr. Macho...
    * _After_ fights, you flip the _other_ way, and feel completely _female_. \\\ Almost... maternal.
    * The healing that we get after fighting? Wounds closing up, exhaustion fading away? That's you.
  * Ren (disappointed) 
    * Ohh...
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Wait, I'm the one doing the out of combat heals? \\\ I thought that was you!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Nope, all you... Mom!
  * Ren (deeply embarrassed) 
    * Nooo...
  * (Ren) (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * Though the out of combat heals have been super important.
    * So, I guess that's kinda cool...
  * Annie (serious) 
    * Also, when witches get their powers, it's something added.
    * Usually from a witch tome.
    * It's not like what you described, not a transformation.
    * It's more like... something extra rattling around in your brain.
    * Yours felt like a transformation, right?
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Yeah, like being rebuilt from the ground up... Every atom in my body being replaced with this... chaotic energy.
    * But I'm not sure about that, I don't _feel_ any different...
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * Err... I mean... I'm still flesh and blood. \\\ Not a walking bundle of energy or something.
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Rebuilt from ground up? \\\ Definitely not a witch.
  * Annie (serious) 
    * Also, there's the power level...
    * When you do some crazy stuff, like when you pulled me out of the Rift, or crossed a bubble boundary the first time.
    * It's like I get a peek at a power level that's.... pretty crazy.
    * ... \\\ Also, Mr. Cohen said you weren't.
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * Wait, who is that guy, anyway?
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Oh, he's The Clothier. He makes clothes for witches.
    * Apparently, he's been doing it for a long time.
    * Like thousands of years.
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * WHAAAT??
  * Annie (a little freaked) 
    * Yeah, did you notice those hieroglyphics on his shop window?
    * Supposedly it says something like "Founded Umpteenth Year of the Reign of Pharaoh Something or Other"
    * So he knows some stuff...
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * Well, he did seem to know something about me...
    * Did he tell you anything else about me?
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * Just that you're not a witch. And...
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * Not to ever let you wear "trash" again!
  * Annie (happy) 
    * (And to take care of you. But let's not mention that!)
  * Ren (disappointed) 
    * Oh...
  * Annie (eyes closed smile) 
    * Don't worry, I'll take you clothes shopping! \\\ And spare you the Wrath of Cohen the Clothier!
  * Ren (shock embarrassed) 
    * Clothes shopping??
    * Nooooo!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Heh heh heh!
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Okay, my turn! Switch places!
  * [Ren] 
    * We swap places on the bed and I begin cautiously brushing Annie's hair...
  * Ren (relaxed) 
    * (Oddly, this is really calming too.)
  * Annie (happy) 
    * You know, you have the coolest hair! That weird mix of red and black.... Is that natural?
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * Yeah. I used to catch hell for it... \\\ As a boy.
    * But now...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Both girls and boys are checking it out!
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Yeah. That's so... weird.
  * Ren (curious) 
    * But your hair is beautiful too... Is it also natural?
  * Annie (laugh) 
    * Hah! You're such a boy! Any girl would know better!
    * This is from a substance H treatment. Permanent, but not natural.
  * (Ren) (disappointed) 
    * So her blue hair is "obviously" artificial, but my half-red hair is not?
    * I have a lot to learn.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Anyway...
    * Not a witch. But let's start listing powers...
    * There's the spacetime/bubble crossing thing. And pulling you out of that place...
    * Summoning Mr. Hat feels similar to that too.
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * Yeah, you picked that up immediately when you used Mr. Extractor.
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * And, there's the power and skill copying too. You seem to be copying mine.
    * Wait... Isn't this like that Shirou guy? Copy master?
  * Ren (annoyed) 
    * Grrrr! So, I'm Shirou, now? That guy was a dork!
    * (Okay... An admirably stubborn dork... But still a dork!)
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * More like Shirou in Rin's body!
  * Ren (shadow blush embarrassed) 
    * Eep!
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * Anyway...
    * I can only do basic homers with your bat. I can't do that complicated stuff.
    * Or your pitching machine...
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * Ha! You'll probably wake up tomorrow and go, "Oh Annie, I think I can pop Mr Pitch! So cool!"
    * Heck, you even copied my cheerleader moves, like when Mr. Cohen threw you at me.
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * Huh? But that was all you!
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * No, that throw and catch is complicated - it takes two to pull off.
    * Maria and I practiced for weeks to get it down.
  * Annie (mock annoyed) 
    * And then you casually pull it off on your first go!
  * Ren (apologetic) 
    * Sorry!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * And there's the personality copying too...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * I'm sorry... That seems so creepy...
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * It should be... But it isn't...
  * Annie (happy) 
    * I like Rennie mode! \\\ And... it doesn't feel fake.
    * ... Does it bother you?
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * [Shakes head.]
  * Annie (curious) 
    * You... like it?
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * ... Yeah.
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * You're being very Ren right now!
  * Annie (curious) 
    * Hey... how about when we met Captain Hottie? That wasn't male Ren, and it wasn't Rennie...
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * Erk! Yeah, that...
    * That... That kind of overwhelms me at times...
  * Ren (upset) 
    * This is what's really bothering me...
    * All these weird mood shifts... And impulses.
    * The body is bad enough, but...
    * That total transformation...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * _Am I even me anymore???_
  * Annie (concerned) 
    * Ren...
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * The thing is... You _always_ feel like "Ren" to me....
    * Male Ren, female Ren, Rennie, scary powerful Ren...
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Somehow they're all the same.
    * I can see each of them, reaching into the Rift, grabbing me hand and saying...
  * Annie (angry) 
    * GIVE HER TO ME!!!
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * ... \\\ THAT'S IT!!!
    * (I survey my "selves" and the answers comes back...)
  * (Ren) (surprised happy) 
    * They would... No... \\\ _I_ would. \\\ \\\ _I would do it every time...._
  * Ren (eyes closed ecstatic) 
    * Oh Annie, thank you!!
  * [Ren] 
    * I give Annie an huge hug from behind.
    * With that short, quick answer...
    * She's taken such a load off my mind.
    * The cacophony of urges and impulses in my brain falls into order..
    * And I realize that, even with all this weirdness going on in my mind and body...
  * Ren (happy) 
    * _I'M STILL ME!_
  * Annie (smiling) 
    * Yep! You're all Ren!
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * But for that mob in there, I'm going with...
    * "Ren-kun," "Ren-ko", "Rennie" and... "Ren-kami!"
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * (I already started thinking "Ren-kun" and "Ren-ko", but...)
    * Ren- _Kami_??
  * Ren (shock) 
    * Eeeeeeeppp!
    * (Okay, I've had enough for now!)
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Enough hugging!
    * Do my ponytail, already!
    * And quit whimpering, it's not that hard!
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * Oh, okay...
  * **Screen: Hotel Room, Night (No Lights)**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Night. The city sleeps, and the girls toss and turn...
  * **Screen: Inside Baseball Stadium, Evening**
  * Announcer 
    * Bottom of the fourth! Two on base at the Light of Lebona, and it's time!
    * Our own femme phenom... ANNIE BASS! ... COMING TO BAT!!!
    * Ha! I can hear old George Bass bellowing from here!
  * Crowd (offscreen) 
    * Annie! Annie! ANNIE!
  * (Annie) (smiling) **[Outfit: Baseball Uniform]**
    * I love this... The crowd, the evening air, the game...
    * Pitches and swings. Hits and misses. Long waits, wild dashes.
  * Announcer 
    * And the crowd quiets a bit. Stands are packed tonight!
    * Including Annie's whole family. Not just George...
    * The entire Bass clan is here tonight!
    * Should be a night to remember for them!
  * (Annie) (smiling) 
    * Mom, dad, aunts, uncles, cousins, nana and gramps... \\\ All hooting and hollering behind me.
    * ... Juan and Carlos on base...
  * Announcer 
    * Pitch and... Ball! \\\ Didn't even twitch! Look at the grin!
    * Pitch and... Strike!
    * Looked high to me... \\\ There have been complaints before about umpires not adjusting for Annie's height...
    * Pitch... Looks high... HIT! YES! LIKE A CANNONBALL!
    * MAKING A BEELINE FOR THE LEFT FIELD BLEACHERS!
  * Annie (ecstatic) 
    * HELL YEAH!!!
  * [Annie] 
    * Juan, Carlos and I all start running... but its going to be easy peasy.
    * I'm grinning like a maniac as the crowd goes wild...
    * I touch first base, round for second...
    * The lights start to dim. The crowd is growing more quiet, distant...
  * Announcer (offscreen) 
    * Some sort of... [voice fades away]
  * Annie (worried) 
    * What? \\\ I glance to the stands... \\\ Everything is going dark and gray...
    * Did I get hit? Am I passing out?? ... \\\ No, I'm fine. It's not me...
    * Still running, I face back to second... \\\ And there's no one there... No second baseman...
    * What the heck? \\\ I turn to third base, pitchers mound, home base, first base...
    * No one there. No one anywhere on the field. \\\ The noise has faded to nothing.
    * I stop at second base and look around bewildered...
  * Annie (shocked worried) 
    * The stands... they're empty...
    * No lights, no people, no beer, no shouting...
    * Everything is turning gray... The sky... The stands...
  * [Annie] 
    * The gray creeps down from the stands like a dark fog onto the field.
    * All flowing towards me...
  * Annie (terrified) 
    * NO! STOP! STOP!!!
  * [Annie] 
    * There on second base... \\\ It washes over me, trapping me...
    * Everything is gone... \\\ Just gray fog everywhere... \\\ No sky, no ground...
    * Just grayness.
    * And the gray lasts... And lasts... And lasts...
    * ... Forever.
  * **Screen: Hotel Room, Night (No Lights)**
  * (Annie) (upset) 
    * I let out the breath I've been holding...
    * I'm here. I'm alive. This living, non-gray world!
  * Annie (worried) 
    * But... I could sure use another hug...
  * [Annie] 
    * I look over at Ren in the other bed... She's tossing and turning a bit...
    * Ren emotional hotline says... Ren-kun, Ren-ko, and Rennie are are having it out... Noisy!
  * (Annie) (sad smile) 
    * I shouldn't disturb her. We both need our rest...
  * [Annie] 
    * I look out the window... Time drifts a bit. I can't sleep.
    * A footstep. The covers lift, and a warm body slides into bed next to me.
    * Ren emotional hotline says: Ren-ko. Sleepy, slightly grumpy... But... Ren-ko. Just her.
  * Ren (sleepy) 
    * Annie, scoot over. You're making too much noise.
  * Annie (unsure) 
    * Okay...
  * [Annie] 
    * I scoot.
    * Ren slides further in, comfortably against my back, her legs by mine...
    * Her left arm slides over my waist, her skin on mine...
  * (Annie) (relieved happy) 
    * That feeling after a fight, it's like that... No, not quite... not maternal...
    * I twine my hand around hers... Feel her breath against my neck.
  * Annie (eyes closed happy) 
    * Goodnight Ren.
  * Ren (eyes closed sleepy) 
    * Night, Annie...
  * [Annie] 
    * In just seconds, Ren is snoring quietly.
    * _I'm not alone anymore..._
    * Sleep comes... softly, warmly... quickly.
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Lady Aegis (thoughtful) [Ghostly] 
    * Is that really more comfortable? \\\ They do seem to be sleeping better though.
    * Maybe I should reserve a room with a single large bed next time?
  * Lady Aegis (worried) 
    * ...
    * How many "next time"s will there be?
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * The STCs are almost eliminated, and Director von Braun has taken responsibility for these two.
    * The Director can make optimal use of these two children. The city will be better defended...
  * Lady Aegis (worried) 
    * But... \\\ Will she take my children away from me?
    * I... \\\ I feel... \\\ I...
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * I will watch over them.
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * Details too small to include in story...
  * Lady Aegis Appearance 
    * Within range of her statues, she looks solid. (But is still just a projection.)
    * Otherwise, within range of Annie and Ren's phones, she appears transparent.
    * She keeps Ren & Annie under surveillance 24/7; but only projects some of the time.
    * Annie can't see projection unless Annie is physically touching Ren.
    * Ren & Annie can text or call Lady Aegis through the phones - e.g. Ren in chapter 8.
  * Relationships 
    * I'm going to try to leave relationships somewhat ambiguous, so that readers can fill in the blanks as they prefer.
    * But only somewhat ambiguous - else the story would have huge holes! Witches _will_ vary in how well they get along with Ren.
    * I have a particular relationship in mind for Annie, but I've tried to leave enough room to read it in varying ways. That said, legally they are sisters (but not blood relatives), so that will show up in the story.
  * Ren & Annie STC Schedule, Day 2 
    * 8 am: 18, 14, Break, 15,
    * Noon: 21, Lunch, 17, 26,
    * 4 pm: 19, 22, Dinner (with E&H), 25
    * 8 pm: 24, 23, Rest, Sleep
    * MidN: Sleep
    * Total: 11 STCs
  * MD (Police) STC Schedule 
    * STC 20 early in the morning; STC 16 in late afternoon (the one with Witch captures).
    * Again, note that MD has to wait for STCs to pop before they can do anything, and Ren & Annie are (mostly) preventing that from happening.




	10. Horrific Losses

  * **Screen: Hotel Room (morning)**
  * Lady Aegis (smiling) 
    * Time to wake up, children.
  * Ren (sleepy smile) 
    * Ah... I feel so refreshed...
    * Morning, Lady A...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * (Wait...)
  * (Ren) (freaked) 
    * Why is Annie lying on top of me!
    * Why is she in my bed... \\\ No! Why am _I_ in _her_ bed!
  * (Ren) (eyes closed worried) 
    * Oh, crap what did I do?
    * Annie's gonna kill me!
  * (Ren) (embarrassed downglance) 
    * Although she is using my breast as a pillow...
  * Annie (sleepy annoyed) 
    * You're yelling. \\\ I haven't had my coffee yet...
    * This is not a good combination.
  * Annie (sleepy smile) 
    * Oh, morning, Lady A...
  * Lady A (smiling) 
    * Good morning, Annie.
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie sits up and stretches sleepily.
  * (Ren) (relieved) 
    * She feels so much happier now..
  * [Ren] 
    * Oh, now I remember! Whew!
    * Cleared of assault charges!
  * Annie (sleepy) 
    * Restroom...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie sleepily leans down and kisses me on the forehead, ...
    * Then clambers over me and stumbles into the restroom.
  * (Ren) (confused) 
    * ... Ren-kun is a little freaked...
    * Ren-ko is very happy that Annie is happy...
    * And Rennie is...
  * Ren (very happy) 
    * Awww screw it! Let's make some coffeeeeee!!!!
  * Lady Aegis (amused) 
    * ...
  * [Ren] 
    * Lady Aegis leads me through making coffee again.
    * She hovers right behind me as I'm making it...
    * I wish I could touch her...
  * (Ren) (wry sideglance) 
    * My Ren-ko side is so huggy...
  * (Ren) (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * ... \\\ But my Ren-kun side doesn't exactly hate that...
  * [Ren] 
    * Room service breakfast arrives...
    * Lady A fills me in on the latest news \\\ as I refuel at 240% efficiency!
  * (Ren) (Bliss) 
    * This coffee tastes gooodddd!
    * Seems I gained some of Annie's taste's too...
  * Annie (happy) **[Outfit: Battlesuit]**
    * Ok, your turn. \\\ Oh, and hazelnut again?
    * You're a saint!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * ...
  * (Ren) (neutral) **[Crystal-eyes]**
    * I want to give you a gift...
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Ahh.. Ah ha.. Ren-Kami! \\\ Umm... How's it going?
  * (Ren) (neutral) **[Crystal-eyes]**
    * [I reach up and tilt Annie's head down... and kiss her forehead.]
    * See a little better.
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Aha... What? \\\ What did you do?
  * [Ren] 
    * But I've already headed into the bathroom.
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * Ren-Kami is a bit scary, huh Lady A?
  * Lady Aegis (surprised) 
    * Annie-chan?
  * Annie (shocked happy) 
    * OH! OH! I CAN SEE YOU !
    * THIS IS SOOO COOL!
  * Lady Aegis (very pleased) 
    * It seems that Ren-chan has given me a gift as well.
  * Annie (happy) 
    * This is so much better than a videocall, huh Lady A?
  * Lady Aegis (pleased) 
    * Yes. Now come sit down and get something to eat, dear.
    * Here's what's going on...
  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * (Mariru) (serious) 
    * Clusters are dying down everywhere...
    * New Opulentia is down to three clusters in the city, one in the countryside.
    * Masada Ford and New Moridas... about the same. \\\ But they've had to evacuate some buildings.
  * (Mariru) (smirk) 
    * And... Frost Center in New Moridas, huh? \\\ The world's better off without that monstrosity.
  * (Mariru) (thoughtful) 
    * Hovering Palace... No buildings lost. But they've still got a full day of clusters ahead.
  * (Mariru) (smirk) 
    * Lebona Isles... That backwater has lost nothing of note... \\\ Because they have nothing of note.
  * (Mariru) (serious) 
    * Salmonton has taken quite a beating... \\\ And they still have a full night and day of clusters to go.
    * .. \\\ There but for the grace of those two kids, go we...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru scans through additional reports...
  * (Mariru) (neutral) 
    * Aya and Bright are working away... \\\ Looks like they've got a competition going... Good.
    * Tsubaki has thing under control outside the city... \\\ And he's agreed to help capture more specimens.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Anderson, anything new?
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Carter reports the targets just left the hotel.
    * Aegis deployment route indicates STCs 27, 28 and 29 in that order.
  * Mariru (curious) 
    * Anything interesting on the video records?
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * No ma'am. Acted like a couple of girls getting ready for school.
    * Like last night - doing each other's hair and talking baseball...
    * Then slept like babies. \\\ Hard to match that with their kill count.
    * Aegis seems to be coordinating with them through text messages.
  * Mariru (interested) 
    * Did you get a look at the messages?
  * Anderson (frown) 
    * No, that's blocked. Aegis is still being pretty cagey.
    * I get the feeling we only got the video feed because we had the hotel staked out.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Hmm...
    * Just be ready after STC 29.
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * Yes, ma'am.
  * **Screen: News Broadcast**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Spacetime Cluster Crisis: Special News Report...
  * Interviewer: 
    * **Image: Collapsed Modernist Art Museum**
    * ... Outside the world renowned Frost Center in Upper Isle...
    * While New Moridas has avoided most damage, this is a truly horrific loss!
    * Tell me sir, what do you think of this?
  * Passerby (confused) [Male, 30ish tourist] 
    * Well... I guess it looks okay to me? \\\ Sorry, I'm not really into this type of architecture.
  * Interviewer 
    * And there you have it, Kelly. Truly a monumental loss to the art world!
  * Passerby (speculative) 
    * Hmm... I suppose it does look a little more natural now?
    * And we could have a cookout over those open fires...
  * Interviewer 
    * Back to you Kelly!



* * *

  * **Extras!**
  * Author is not above trolling readers with the title. :D
  * Lady Aegis Appearance 
    * ~~Annie can't see projection unless Annie is physically touching Ren.~~
    * ... Don't always know what I'm going to write the next day... :/




	11. Cats and Dogs

  * **Screen: Factory Floor (Distorted)**
  * [Ren] 
    * We're on our third STF in this cluster...
    * Fights are going well... \\\ Haven't had to retreat even once.
    * And down to last witch... \\\ But I'm trying to get something to work...
  * Ren (happy) 
    * Oh Annie, I think I can pop Mr Pitch! So cool!
  * Annie (skeptical) 
    * Rennnnn...
    * That's the third time you've said that!
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * Third time's the charm?
  * [Ren] 
    * This last one - a goth witch with reflective defense... \\\ Looks kind of like thorns...
    * Annie's taunting and dodging her...
    * Giving me the time to...
  * Rose Witch (raving) 
    * Marmalade! Biscuits! TEA!!!
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * Okay, here goes...
    * Focus on the thorn witch...
    * Reach for Mr. Pitch, just like Annie...
  * Rose Witch (raving) 
    * TEA! TEA NOW!!!
  * (Ren) (disappointed) 
    * ... \\\ Nothing.
  * (Ren) (angry) 
    * SHIT! \\\ SHIT! SHIT! SHIT
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * That's strike three, Rennie!
  * Rose Witch (raving) 
    * MARMALADE SOUP!!!
  * Annie (frown) 
    * I should finish it...
  * Ren (apologetic) 
    * Sorry, Annie! \\\ Please hold on a bit...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * This could be really useful...
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Okay, but not too much longer...
  * (Ren) (frown) 
    * Annie doesn't want to draw it out any more than needed.
    * But...
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * I'm sure I understand what to do, but it's just not working.
    * Maybe Mr Pitch is something unique to Annie that I just can't copy?
  * Rose Witch (raving) 
    * BISCUITS! BISCUITS! BISCUITS!
  * Ren (annoyed) 
    * ...
  * Ren (ticked off) 
    * YOU WANT BISCUITS! \\\ I'LL GIVE YOU BISCUITS!!!
    * ANNIE, SERVE HER SOME BISCUITS!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Same as before, only this time I imagine Annie doing it...
    * [Pop!] A second Annie falls out the sky, and...
    * [Dash!] dashes happily up next to me.
  * Annie Echo (smile) 
    * Oh, it's my turn now? Nooo problem!
  * Annie Echo (yelling) 
    * HAVE SOME BISCUITS, GOTHIE!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Second Annie drops Mr. Pitch, pulls the trigger, and...
  * Rose Witch (happy) 
    * Ahh, biscuits!!! Tasty!
  * [Ren] 
    * And with that, the witch melts to the ground under a barrage of "biscuits".
  * Annie Echo (smiling) 
    * Cya later, Ren!
  * [Ren] 
    * Second Annie pats me on the head, gives a little jump... And disappears.
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * Ummm? Huh??
  * Annie (sad sideglance) 
    * I wondered if that might happen.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ...
  * Annie (fake smile) 
    * Don't worry about it, Ren. \\\ I'll tell you about it later.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Oh... Okay.
  * [Ren] 
    * Usual routine... Annie cleans. I loot and move the body to a conveniently placed blue box.
    * Just one death this time... \\\ Rose Witch turned out to be a grannie...
    * Annie clings to my arm as we do the prayers.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * I could just not...
  * Annie (smile) 
    * No, it's okay. Raise your game. We'll need it. Besides...
  * Annie (eyes closed smirk) 
    * I'm glad that my first time was with you!
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * Erk!
  * Ren (smile) 
    * ...
  * [Ren] 
    * I take her hand, and we enter the tunnel to the next bubble.
  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * That's three of five down... \\\ Took a little longer on that one.
  * Aegis Log 
    * Anomaly: STF 27E destabilizing. Time to collapse reduced to 70 minutes.
    * Anomaly: STF 27E expansion...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Not good. Not good at all.
  * Mariru (commanding) 
    * Captain Enzo. Full alert. We need full evacuation of STCs 28 and 29 immediately...
  * Captain Enzo (video neutral) 
    * Yes ma'am. May I...
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * STC 27 just destabilized. And...
  * **Screen: Factory Floor 2 (Distorted)**
  * [Ren] 
    * Next bubble... Looks pretty much the same. \\\ Wait...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Something's wrong...
  * [Ren] 
    * My "vision" has gotten better over the last few days...
    * Now I can "see" the the bubble boundaries for the entire cluster...
    * Like an x-ray cheat mod for an FPS game... And...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * This is bad... Really bad.
  * Annie (worried) 
    * Ren?? Something feels off... What's going on?
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * The whole cluster just destabilized, it's got about hour and ten minutes now.
    * But the real problem is...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * This cluster and the next two clusters just merged...
    * And the whole thing is on that same countdown.
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Oh shit....
  * Annie (frown) 
    * ...
  * Annie (hopeful) 
    * Go Go GO?
  * Ren (eyes closed big smile) 
    * HA HA HA!!! YEP!
  * **Screen: Factory Floor 2 (Distorted): Ren & Annie vs Bosozoku & Little Amaterasu**
  * [Ren] 
    * Four brutal minutes later...
  * **Screen: Factory Floor 2 (Distorted)**
  * Annie (amazed) 
    * That was a lot of baseballs!
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * Yeah, but...
  * [Ren] 
    * I look at the two factory workers left on the floor...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * We don't have time to cleanup. Let's go...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie takes my hand and we run towards and through the exit portal.
    * As soon as we're in the tunnel, I focus on "Mom" mode.
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * I hate leaving them like that. But we need to hurry...
  * **Screen: Factory Vats (Distorted): Pink Haired Witch, Dog & Cats**
  * [Ren] 
    * This should have been final bubble of the cluster...
    * But something is definitely wrong...
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * About thirty of those ninja cats.
    * And two of those tougher Bosozoku girls...
    * And one pink haired witch and a dog, but...
  * Pink-Hair Witch (terrified) **[Outfit: Nerdy street clothes.]**
    * Shannon! Noooo!
  * [Ren] 
    * All of the other mobs are attacking the pink haired witch and her dog.
    * The girl is holding her own with a crowbar, but...
    * The dog just got mobbed by ten cats...
  * Annie (frightened) 
    * Ren, she's not a...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Lost One? Got it. Save her!
  * Ren (smiling) 
    * And her little dog too!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * HA HA HA! \\\ OKAY... \\\ HELLOOO KITTIES!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and I do one of those crazy leaps, and land in the fray of kitties, scattering them.
    * Annie lands next to the dog and starts knocking the remaining kitties off with Mr Extractor.
    * I land next to the girl and start batting enemies off her.
  * Pink-Hair Witch (shocked) 
    * Umm... Hi?
  * Ren (smiling) 
    * HI HI, YOUR RESCUE SQUAD IS HERE!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Just then, Annie pops Mr Pitch. Six cats quickly go down and four Mr Hat's pop up.
    * The Mr Hats focus on finishing off the cats that Annie has already tagged...
    * At which point the mob of cats just becomes a Mr. Hat factory...
  * (Ren) (frown) 
    * Too bad Annie is capped at four Mr Hats at a time.
  * Pink-Hair Witch (hopeful) 
    * Shannon?
  * Shannon 
    * Woof!
  * [Ren] 
    * Cleared of cats, "Shannon" happily runs over to the girl and me.
  * Pink-Hair Witch (happy) 
    * Shannon! Aww... What did those bad kitties do to you?
  * Ren (happy) 
    * That's sweet...
  * [Ren] 
    * ... As she keeps viciously swinging her crowbar and Shannon starts biting and tearing...
  * (Ren) (shadow freaked) 
    * Well, sweeet _ish_...
  * Bosozoku Shipper (crazed) 
    * KANAI-MITOU!!
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ...YIKES!
  * [Ren] 
    * A flurry of fists catches me from the right.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * SHIT!!
    * (Hey, isn't Kanai-Mitou a ship from Arcady Knights?)
  * [Ren] 
    * I jump back and evade the follow up hits...
    * The cats are under control now, but...
    * Those two Bosozoku are still up...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * And my bat's out of juice...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie is still better with Mr Extractor than I am...
    * I sling the bat into the backpack, and grab a huge wrench off the ground...
  * (Ren) (puzzled) 
    * Feels odd...
  * Ren (happy) 
    * Oh well. THIS WILL DO!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * ... And start beating on the Bosozoku with the wrench.
    * Swings like the bat... Has a pretty nice heft...
  * Bosozoku Shipper 
    * KANAI-AKIRA?? HEATHEN!!! DIE!!!
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * There's that weirdness again...
    * And suddenly, "Shannon" and all four Mr. Hats are on the Bosozoku!
  * Ren (startled) 
    * Huh?
  * Pink-Hair Witch (worried) 
    * Shannon?
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * HEY! YOU... YOU BEAR NINJA!
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Oh! So that's what it does!
    * (Is this a witch weapon too?)
  * Ren (happy) 
    * Sorry Annie! Keep popping Mr Hats will you?
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * Fine, fine.
    * HEY PINKIE, COME HELP ME!
  * Pink-Hair Witch (thoughtful) 
    * Curiouser and curiouser!
    * And the name is Anzu!
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Hi Hi, Anzu!!
    * I'll tag kitties, you finish them off!
  * Anzu (smile) 
    * No problemo!
    * Dog food incoming!
  * Bosozoku Shipper 
    * KAAANAAIIIII!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * First bosozoku is going down under Shannon and Mr. Hat attacks...
    * The second bosozoku has been targeting Annie.
    * I swap back to the bat, super jump to the second bosozoku and start wailing.
    * As soon as the first bosozoku goes down, I swap to the wrench...
    * Sure enough, the second bosozoku turns into a pet magnet.
    * Another twenty seconds and everything is dead.
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Annie (startled) 
    * Hey, look... No bodies!
  * Ren (surprised happy) 
    * Wow. Cool. Is it because she...
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Yep!
  * Anzu (jaundiced) 
    * Bodies disappearing... \\\ Okay that's weird. But...
    * On a scale of relative weirdness... \\\ I'd have to rate it only a three out of ten.
  * Anzu (shadow smile) 
    * Oh, and by the way... I'm dying...
  * Anzu (drama queen) 
    * Please find a good home for Shannon. And...
    * Turn my computer on, and.... throw it into a tub full of water...
    * [Floomph!]
  * Shannon 
    * Woooo...
  * [Ren] 
    * Shannon gives a little whine and... disappears.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * HEY! ANZU!
  * [Ren] 
    * I bend over her... \\\ I hadn't noticed how hurt she was!
    * She's pretty clawed up, worse than Annie has ever been...
    * I reach down and touch her face...
  * Ren (worried w tears) 
    * Anzu? Anzu, baby? Wake up!
    * Anzu?
  * Anzu (sleepy) 
    * Mom? Oh... \\\ Turn off the lights will you?
    * Shannon kept me up all night...
    * Totally _not_ playing games...
    * Or hacking corporate servers...
    * Zzzzz
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Oh! She's looking better already!
    * Ren-kaasan strikes again!
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * (Thankfully this only happens post-combat!)
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Okay, but we have to keep going...
    * And sorry Anzu, but you're getting drafted!
  * [Ren] 
    * I pick up Anzu, who nuzzles sleepily against me, muttering something about making her some Bento...
    * Annie grabs my arm and we head for the exit...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * "Ren-kaasan"... \\\ Heh heh heh.
  * Ren (deeply embarrassed) 
    * ...
  * **END**




	12. Situation Normal

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Aegis Log 
    * STF 28D Rapid Dispersion
    * STF 28E Rapid Dispersion
    * STF 28F Rapid Dispersion
    * Summary: STC 28 Eliminated
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Finally. Twelve minutes on that one.
    * Carter, status.
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Almost there... Ah... Six bodies.
    * Two of them in... plate armor? Like a crusader. Other four look like archers.
    * Left as they fell. And about 30 SH objects scattered around.
    * Nishi is on his way.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Alright. Move quickly, we're down to fifteen minutes.
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Yes ma'am.
  * (Mariru) (frown) 
    * Six bodies, plus plate armor? That explains double the usual time.
    * Doesn't look like those kids will complete on time, but they're whittling it down.
    * Got to hand it to them... They've been going non-stop.
  * (Mariru) (smile) 
    * Exhausted at the end though... That will be useful...
  * (Mariru) (frown) 
    * Assuming they survive.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Enzo. STC 28 is eliminated. But stay prepared.
  * Enzo (video neutral) 
    * Good news. And... Understood.



* * *

  * **Screen: Factory Vats (Distorted)**
  * Anzu (frown) 
    * I'm getting hungry, Mom, when do we get to eat?
  * Annie (frown) 
    * You had to mention food!
    * Now, I'm thinking of pizza again...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * ...
  * Anzu (disappointed) 
    * Aww, she didn't take the bait... \\\ This is Ren-kun, right?
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * Yep. Ren's back in combat mode.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * About fifteen minutes and seven fluxes to go - we can only handle three at most.
  * [Ren] 
    * Six bubbles since Anzu joined us.
    * Those knight were a real pain.
    * Wish we had known about Anzu's crowbar sooner...
    * Would have saved us a retreat.
    * We could just let the military handle the excess...
    * But from what Lady Aegis told me, that would probably mean 35-45 more deaths...
    * I need more...
  * (Ren) (serious) **[crystal-eyes]**
    * ...Options.
  * Anzu (freaked) 
    * YIKES!!!
  * Anzu (serious) 
    * What is this power that I feel????
  * Anzu (mock shock) 
    * It's... \\\ It's OVER 9000!!!
  * Annie (dubious) 
    * Is that some sort of anime reference?
    * Just what I need... Another geek.
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Anyway, say hello to Ren-kami!
  * (Ren) (serious) **[crystal-eyes]**
    * Okay, I have a plan... \\\ We're going to need a counterweight.
    * This way... We're going to skip ahead.
  * (Anzu) (grumbling) 
    * It's like she jumped straight to the third power-up form...
    * That's just cheating... \\\ FX are kinda lame too...



* * *

  * **Screen: Broken Rooftops (Distorted)**
    * Broken rooftop. Raised area gazing across two rooftops spanned by a makeshift bridge.
    * Witches milling about on far side.
  * Ren (serious) **[Crystal-Eyes]**
    * Okay, we're here.
    * This is going to get a bit complicated...
  * **Screen: Command Post**
    * Storage room repurposed as command post. Closed door on left side.
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * Ten minutes. \\\ You ready, Hirono, Elly, Eerie?
  * Lt. Hirono (neutral) 
    * Yes sir. Squad is good to go.
  * Guard Erin (smile) **[Erin: Shield Guard Orange Hair]**
    * Ready Captain!
  * Guard Elly (smile) **[Elly: Shield Guard Red Hair (Twin of Erin)]**
    * You betcha, Cap!
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * Eerie, Elly, you'll be with me again.
    * No cul-de-sac this time, so...
  * **SoundFx: Portal Opening.**
  * **Screen: Command Post w Portal**
    * Closed door replaced with portal to Broken Rooftop, Ren on other side of portal/doorway.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Hi, Hi Captain!
  * Lt. Hirono (startled) 
    * Miss Sakate??
  * Capt. Enzo (nonplussed) 
    * Ren-chan? You shouldn't be here!
    * ... \\\ What happened to the door?
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Sorry, Captain, Lieutenant; but Annie and I have a little problem here.
    * Could you come over and help?
  * Guard Erin (serious) 
    * Captain, I think we should go.
  * Guard Elly (smile) 
    * .. \\\ Yeah, Cap. She's okay.
  * Lt. Hirono (thoughtful) 
    * Expect the unexpected...
    * Your call, boss. But I'd say... Yeah.
  * Capt. Enzo (smile) 
    * Right! Lead the way... Miss Sakate.
  * Ren (eyes closed smile) 
    * Oh, and bring lots of ammo. \\\ You'll need it.
  * **Screen: Broken Rooftop (Distorted)**
  * Lt. Hirono (worried) 
    * Well.... Sheeeeet...
  * Guard Erin (smile) 
    * Whoah!
  * Guard Elly (big smile) 
    * Awesome!!
  * Capt. Enzo (shadow smile) 
    * Inside the spacetime cluster, eh?
    * No problem...
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Hi, Hi, Cap!
    * Oh, and don't mind her. She's just shy...
  * Anzu (hooded, face hidden) 
    * (Shit. Cops!)
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * Wait... \\\ You've been doing this haven't you?
    * Blue boxes... That was you?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Yes. But I want to reduce... blue boxes.
    * Bringing you inside changed the balance, gave us more time...
    * We should have about 30 minutes now.
    * Here's what I want to do...



* * *

  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Elly, Eerie, Get ready!
  * Guard Erin (serious) 
    * Ready, Ren-san.
  * Guard Elly (smiling) 
    * Primed and ready!
  * Drones 
    * Click. Snap. Gritch.
  * [Ren] 
    * I pull the drones into a corner, then dive out the way...
    * As soon as I do, two grenades loft through the air and land in the middle of the drones...
    * [BOOM!] [BOOM!]
  * [Ren] 
    * The drones go down at once.
    * I turn, target the fire caster, and drop Mr. Pitch.
  * Annie Echo (smile) 
    * INCOMING!
  * [Ren] 
    * As the baseball barrage lands on the caster, Enzo and Hirono's fusillade of bullets slams into her as well.
    * She goes from full health to zero in just a few seconds.
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * Smooth. Just those kendo girls left.
  * Lt. Hirono (neutral) 
    * Yeah, too close to the girls to shoot. Think they've got it, though.
    * Man, can't believe that we're just fire support for three teenage girls...
  * Guard Erin (laughing) 
    * Heh heh heh!
  * Guard Elly (determined) 
    * Don't worry, we'll protect you Lieutenant!
  * Lt. Hirono (shadow smile) 
    * At least you two are out of high school...
  * Capt. Enzo (smile) 
    * Ah they're done...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Warmup over. Starting phase two...
  * [Ren] 
    * Shannon fades out of existence; Annie and Anzu retreat to west roof.
    * This area has been perfect for our strategy...
    * Annie, Anzu and I on fighting on the east roof...
    * Enzo, Hirono, Elly and Eerie providing fire support from the west.
    * The narrow bridge between the two roofs is is easy to keep under control.
    * But now...
  * Ren (serious) **[crystal-eyes]**
    * Time to open the gates...
  * [Ren] 
    * Clusters collapse to a single node before bursting. I'm just going to guide that process a little bit...
    * Right now we're at the fourth bubble. Three bubbles to the north, three to the south.
    * I reach through the cluster network and pop open the portals on the northern tunnels; then wait a minute and repeat with the southern tunnel portals.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Done. First wave should arrive soon.
    * Please just hold the bridge for a minute while we recover...
  * Guard Erin (serious) 
    * No, problem, we gotcha Ren-san.
    * (Or is it Ren-sama? That seemed kind of strong to me!)
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Annie? Anzu? Hold on, I'm on coming!
  * Guard Elly (laughing) 
    * Whoa, mood shift! \\\ Ren-san on her period?
  * [Ren] 
    * I hardly notice Erin and Elly form a wall at the west end of the bridge after I run past...
    * Annie and Anzu aren't hurt too bad this time around, but I grab both of their hands and take a deep breath...
    * We're going to be on a tight schedule...
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * They're arriving... Hold your fire. Maybe they won't...
    * Nope... Those soldiers have seen us... Shields up!
    * Hirono, I'll get right.
  * Lt. Hirono (serious) 
    * I'll take left...



* * *

  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * [Ren] 
    * It's been going well...
    * Three waves down... Three to go.
    * I've just finished healing. Had to include Erin this time...
  * Guard Elly (worried) 
    * You okay, Erin? You really got nailed...
  * Guard Erin (smile) 
    * Hah hah! No, I feel great!
    * Ren-san kissed my boo-boo and it's alright now!
    * "Ren-kaasan" is totally right!
  * Guard Elly (relieved) 
    * Whew!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * I'll get you next time, Miss Elly.
    * Cap and Lieutenant please be careful. \\\ Sorry my heals don't work on you...
  * Annie (serious) 
    * RENNIE! QUIT JAWWING AND GET OVER HERE!
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * HOLD YOUR HORSES ALREADY!!! I'M COMING!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and Anzu have run ahead and engaged the enemies.
    * I run across and join them to find four bosozoku and two...
    * Shield guard girls...
  * (Ren) (freaked) 
    * They look just like Elly and Eerie...
  * Shield Guard Girl 1 (crazed) [Erin Look-alike] 
    * UNDER ARREST! ARREST! ARREST!
  * Shield Guard Girl 2 (crazed) [Elly Look-alike] 
    * SHIELDS UP! SHIELDS UP! SHIELDS UP!
  * Capt. Enzo (surprised) 
    * Huh? Is that you two...
  * Guard Elly (angry) 
    * IMPOSTORS!!!
  * Anzu (smirk) 
    * Heh heh...
    * Seems totally accurate to me!
  * Lt. Hirono (shadow smile) 
    * (I'd better not say anything...)
  * Guard Elly (excited) 
    * Hey Ren-san, pull that impostor over here!
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Okay!
  * [Ren] 
    * These shield girls are hard to kite...
    * But I manage to drag one over closer to the west roof...
    * I start my attack as she gets in position...
    * But suddenly... \\\ Four bombs loft over...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * SHIT!
  * [Ren] 
    * I dive for cover, as the short-fused bombs all go off at once...
    * [BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!]
  * Guard Elly (excited) 
    * HAH EERIE! I TOTALLY KILLED YOU!!!
  * Guard Elly (slightly chagrined) 
    * Oops, sorry Ren-San!
  * Guard Erin (outraged) 
    * YOU BITCH!!!
    * Hey Cap, lend me your rifle!
    * ANZU, ANNIE, GIMME A LINE OF SIGHT ON THAT BITCH ELLY!!!
  * Annie 
    * OKAAAYYY!!!
  * Anzu (worried) 
    * Uh oh...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie, Anzu and I pull south, leaving "Elly" on the north side of the roof.
    * As soon as "Elly" drops her shield to toss her grenade, she's greeted by a fusillade from Elly and Hirono.
    * One of the bullets hits the bomb that "Elly" was throwing...
    * [BOOM!]
  * Guard Erin (excited) 
    * SCORE! YOU DEAD BITCH!!
  * Guard Elly (excited) 
    * HA! GOOD ONE SIS!
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * (These two really are over the top!)
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Wait! What's...
    * (Ah too late!)
  * [Ren] 
    * Normally, when "grunts" die, they turn into a ball of energy which quickly disperses.
    * But this time, the energy balls from the two shield guards doesn't disperse...
    * Instead they float over, and get absorbed into Eerie and Elly.
  * (Ren) (puzzled) 
    * The girls don't seem to react... \\\ I'll check them afterwards...
  * Anzu (focused) 
    * More of those cats coming... And... Hammer girl. Two firecasters...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie hits the with cats with Mr Extractor. MD provide assistance
    * Anzu takes wrench to Hammer girl, who is immediately mobbed by bears.
    * I take on the two firecasters.
    * The fight goes on...



* * *

  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * The last fight of the last cluster...
    * When this is over, it will all be done.
    * Then we can...
  * Anzu (angry) 
    * Look out, Ren Baka!
  * Ren (worried) 
    * SHIT!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Three of those Kyudo girls are on me!
    * Shit! Nowhere to go!
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * Focus north Kyudo
  * Annie (serious) 
    * Anzu! South!
  * [Ren] 
    * A volley of shots rings, followed by two long arced grenades, and the northern Kyudo girl goes down.
    * At the same time, Annie drops Mr Pitch, and Anzu throws her wrench at the south Kyudo girl...
    * South Kyudo quickly folds under the barrage of balls and Hat and Shannon attacks.
    * Meanwhile, I've dodged diagonally to the side of the center Kyudo girl, just missing her volley of arrows.
    * I immediately take a bat to her, deciding to save my Mr Pitch for later.
    * Annie and Anzu turn back to the two bosozoku they were already working on...
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * Whew! Saved me!
  * Guard Erin (happy) 
    * Oh, look at Anzu-chan! Here it comes!
  * Anzu (serious) 
    * ...
    * [Pow Pow Pow Pow Pow!]
  * Guard Elly (laughing) 
    * Machine Gun Anzu!
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * Who would have thought that skinny, nerdy looking Anzu would have such a brutal boxing barrage!
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * How these girls keep going... I don't know...
  * Guard Erin (serious) 
    * Oh, that's Ren-sama. It's not just heals, she's recharging them between waves.
  * Guard Elly (smile) 
    * Yep, she's our little energizer bunny goddess!
  * Capt. Enzo (serious) 
    * More spawns... Three... Black Knights?
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Three of them???
  * Annie (groan) 
    * Oh these guys... SUCK!!!!
  * Ren (discouraged) 
    * ...
  * Anzu (serious) 
    * Crowbar?
  * Ren (hopeful) 
    * Oh! Good idea!
    * Anzu and Annie focus one, I'll kite the others!
  * [Ren] 
    * Anzu is guessing that the black knights are like the white knights from the last cluster.
    * Which we belatedly discovered were vulnerable to Anzu's crowbar...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * [Ren] 
    * Three hectic minutes later...
  * Annie (hopeful) 
    * It's over?
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * Yeah. It's over. \\\ About five minutes to spare.
  * Capt. Enzo (relieved) 
    * Damn... Girls...
  * Lt. Hirono (serious) 
    * Thirteen dead... \\\ There would have been 70 or so if the cluster popped?
  * [Ren] 
    * Thirteen bodies lie on the rooftop...
    * Ten on the west side where Enzo and Hirono had moved them earlier.
    * Three on the east side from the black knights that we just killed.
  * Ren (sad) 
    * Yeah. These ones are like "seeds" for the bubbles. They can't be saved...
    * The others, they seem to get "realized" at the last moment as the cluster collapses and bursts.
  * Guard Erin (serious) 
    * I think... Elly and I would have been two of those last minute additions.
  * Guard Elly (serious) 
    * ...
  * [Ren] 
    * I kneel down by the last black knight's body and pull her mask off.
  * **Screen: Broken Rooftop Aftermath (Distorted)**
    * Ren and company kneeling around last black knight - a high school girl with long white hair.
  * Anzu (shocked) 
    * Ohhh... \\\ I know...
  * Guard Elly (surprised) 
    * Anzu-chan?
  * Anzu (shocked) 
    * Wait... But my bubble... There was no body!
    * I was just reading... something... when it all went crazy!
    * And then... then...
  * Annie (serious) 
    * Yeah... You were the seed.
    * Happened to me too... Long ago.
    * But unlike the others you weren't lost. You're a witch now.
  * Anzu (surprised) 
    * Oh.
  * Capt. Enzo (smile) 
    * Annie... Bass, right?
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * YEP! THAT'S ME!!!
  * Annie (sideglance) 
    * But... Please keep quiet about it.
  * Capt. Enzo (charming) 
    * No problem! But I _do_ want your autograph!
    * Not now! Later. Vincetti's again?
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Oh yeah! It's a date!
  * Capt. Enzo (slight blush charming) 
    * ... Great! ...
  * Guard Erin (suspicious) 
    * Captain???
  * Guard Elly (laughing) 
    * AH HA HA HA!
  * Lt. Hirono (smile) 
    * Oh, look at the time, we should probably be going!
  * Lt. Hirono (shadow smile) 
    * Back to reality... Or something...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Right... Here's what I want to do...



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Aegis Log 
    * STF 29C Rapid Dispersion
    * STF 29E Rapid Dispersion
    * STF 29D Rapid Dispersion
    * Summary: STC 29 Eliminated
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Counting ten bodies on the rooftop...
    * Plus the three boxes there are reporting occupied.
    * Thirteen bodies total.
    * No signs of RenBass or Enzo's group.
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Carter. It's clear. Watch those exits.
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Yes ma'am.
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Anderson. Stay focused on the drone cams.
  * Agent Anderson (serious) 
    * Yes ma'am.
  * (Mariru) (frown) 
    * RenBass has always emerged within 100 yards of their last STF epicenter...
    * We're covering out to 200 yards from that rooftop.
    * Can't count on Aegis; using our own drones for surveillance.
    * That dispersion pattern... Those kids turned it into wave battle?
  * Mariru (cold smile) 
    * Damn... What I could do with them...
  * **Screen: SID Control: Mariru Brooding**
    * Shot from back right corner of control room, Mariru on left, Anderson to right, drone shots of rooftop, images from earlier of Ren and Annie shown large on computer display.
  * [Mariru] 
    * Or to them...
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras & Recap**
  * Elly and Eerie 
    * Real names are Elina and Erina, but people know them as Elly and Erin.
    * Friends and close associates call Erina "Eerie".
  * Explanation: Ren's Healing 
    * Ren's strategy for this revolved in part around her combat/healing cycle. 
      * Combat a wave of enemies. Then retreat and do out-of-combat heals for herself and connected witches, while the MD officers hold the line the incoming wave. Then return to combat.
      * Due to the nature of the wave battle, time limitations and the rooftop battlefield, Ren is unable to retreat.
    * Ren was able to heal Eerie and Elly by having one of them join her out-of-combat group, while the other held the line with Enzo & Hirono.
    * Ren is "in combat" if anyone she's connected to is in combat. Hence, she intentionally avoided connecting to Elly or Eerie while in combat mode.
    * Her out of combat healing did not work on Enzo or Hirono. Because they're non-occult? Or because they're male? Not clear at this point.
  * Recap: Witches, Bubbles and the Rift 
    * Three types of opponents in bubbles: Witches, Grunts, and Minions. 
      * Grunts: bosozoku, Masada soldier, shield guards, etc.
      * Minions: Cats, drones, assistant pets (e.g. Shannon).
    * If Ren kills a witch, then the witch leaves behind a body that turns into a regular person. Suggesting that the regular person was "infected" with the witchiness. If Ren retreats from a fight, any witches killed before the retreat stay dead.
    * If Ren kills a grunt or minion, it doesn't leave behind a body. But if Ren retreats from a fight, they'll respawn as if they were never killed.
    * When a bubble/cluster bursts on its own, witches are released - but in their "real" forms. E.g. crazed grannies with vampire guard powers. Grunts also appear... More on that later, though we do have some hints with Elly & Eerie.
    * Minions don't pop from bubbles.
    * It's not clear yet (in story) what grunts are. 
      * They at least have occult strengthening/resistances.
      * Grunts are almost all "locals" e.g. bosozoku, kendo girls, shield girls, etc. (E.g. Elly and Erin.)
      * Elly and Erin received _something_ after their grunt counterparts were defeated. All that we know so far is that there didn't seem to be any obvious effect from it.
    * Annie was stuck in the Rift of Correspondence, not a bubble. Annie knew she was in the Rift, and knows something about it.
    * Annie was not totally surprised that Ren popped an Annie Echo. However, this was the first time it happened to Annie.
    * Anzu was a seed witch... But did not become a lost one. Moreover, she was found in STF 27E... Which is specifically the one that Mariru saw destabilize and then expand.
  * Ren's Combat Powers 
    * Ren's powers seem to derive from transformation by Ross Island Goblet. No evidence (as far as we know) of prior occult nature/talent. (Except maybe that weird red/black hair!)
    * Has general powers over dimensions and summoning. Summoning seems related to dimensional powers.
    * Can copy witch powers & abilities to a substantial degree.
    * Has combat strength and power similar to Annie. Received this very soon after meeting Annie. Unknown if she'll retain that while Annie is not nearby.
    * Can wield witch weapons and use their powers, though Ren is less competent then the original witch at using them. E.g. she can't pop as many Mr Hats, and can only do a few tricks with Annie's baseballs. Also uses up MP while using weapon. Unclear how much of this limitation is due to lack of practice.
    * Can also use witch ultimates - but has to use an "echo" of the witch to do so.
    * Has something of an alternating yin-yang nature. 
      * In-combat, radiates (masculine) combat strength to connected witches.
      * Out of combat, she switches modes and provides (feminine) healing. Physical contact is required.
    * Can recognize occult objects, and has a convenient "hold-all" capable of holding a ton of stuff. (Basically a pocket dimension backpack.)
    * Ren-Kami rarely shows, but has crazy power level, and unknown range of abilities.




	13. Obfuscation

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Carter, any sign?
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * No ma'am... But... \\\ There's a zip line up here.
    * Looks like something set up by urban explorers...
  * Agent Anderson (pissed) 
    * Awww... FUCK!!! ...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Anderson begins clicking and typing furiously...
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * Runs about 70 yards into the building to the south.
    * Ishi just rode it across, and is looking for signs there.
    * I've sent his team to check the ground exits, but... \\\ That structure is huge. And given the time...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * Agent Anderson (depressed) 
    * Our drones only covered part of that warehouse.
    * Nothing on our footage. \\\ Checking city surveillance footage...
  * Agent Anderson (serious) 
    * An autocab stopped briefly at the southern edge of the warehouse 45 minutes ago, but video doesn't show anyone getting in or out.
    * That's probably them.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Surveillance everywhere in the city, but it's completely useless because Memories.
    * Hoist by our own petard, Anderson.
  * Mariru (wry amusement) 
    * And because those damned kids decided to take a joyride on a zip line after that absurd win.
    * Hell, I would have done that...
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Alright, we've still got the rest of this crisis to deal with.
    * Carter, call your team in, recover the bodies, do the usual scans of the structures.
    * Anderson, be inventive. See if you can think of a way to find those two kids.
  * (Mariru) (frown) 
    * Was hoping to catch those kids exhausted.
    * Instead we failed because we were exhausted.
    * [Sigh]



* * *

  * **Screen: Yakitori Shop**
  * [Ren] 
    * We're eating lunch at a place I visited a few times before.
    * Annie has been educating us on the ins and outs of being a witch...
    * Her mentor, rituals for increasing power, etc.
    * Things to try... \\\ Later...
  * Ren (happy relaxed) 
    * Ahh... This is so relaxing...
    * We've been racing from cluster to cluster...
    * I still can't believe that we're done!
  * Annie (happy) 
    * I know... And...
    * This yakitori place is really nice, Ren!
  * Ren (plaintive) 
    * Pizza is fine and all, but... I needed a break!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Ha ha!
    * But Vincetti's is soooo good!
    * Though I guess a break is okay...
  * Annie (excited) 
    * And Captain Enzo did promise to treat us all to dinner there!
    * And Elly and Eerie there too! Should be a blast!
  * Anzu (frown) 
    * ...
    * (Those loudmouths!)
  * Annie (suspicious) 
    * Anzu, you're not very talkative are you?
  * Anzu (neutral) 
    * Hmmm.
  * Annie (exasperated) 
    * AARGHHH!!!
  * Ren (smirk) 
    * ...
  * Annie (whining) 
    * Not you too!
  * Ren (smirk) 
    * Anzu's probably a maniac in text chat.
  * Anzu (laughing) 
    * Heh heh heh!
    * "Terror of Team Gank!"
    * "Troll of the Year" in Universal Fantasy!
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Ohh, Universal Fantasy? "Troll of the Year?" \\\ Hmm... LoliZU4U?
  * Anzu (worried) 
    * Ooops! Said too much!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Ohh? Hmmm...
    * Ever heard of Ren Teh Saka?
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Hey!
  * Anzu (thoughtful) 
    * Decent ranking in Fire Arena in UF.
  * Anzu (smirk) 
    * ... You used your real name in a game??
  * Ren (defensive) 
    * Umm... NO! That would be stupid...
    * Sort of had to change my identity...
    * And then used my game name...
  * Anzu (amused) 
    * Interesting...
    * But isn't that pretty much the same?
  * Ren (eye closed embarrassed) 
    * ...
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Anzu, Your clothes got trashed...
    * Want to go clothes shopping with us?
    * Going to see how much I can embarrass Ren-kun!
  * Ren (worried) 
    * (Aww... shit! I'm screwed!)
  * Anzu (reluctant) 
    * Meh... \\\ Shopping is such a pain...
  * Ren (evil smirk) 
    * Oh? Hmm... \\\ I have an idea...



* * *

  * **Screen: Alleyway - Cohen's Storefront**
  * Mr. Cohen (genial) 
    * Ah, Lady Ren! You've been busy!
    * What brings you...
  * Mr. Cohen (enraged) 
    * TRASH!!! GARBAGE!!!
  * Anzu (surprised) 
    * Huh?
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * Sorry about this Anzu...
    * But it's for your own good!
  * Anzu (shocked) 
    * YIKES! \\\ HEY! PUT ME DOWN!!!
  * Annie (shadow reassuring) 
    * Just relax Anzu, it will be over soon!
  * [Ren] 
    * Mr. Cohen, with Anzu slung over his shoulder, disappears into his shop...
  * Mr. Cohen (offscreen) 
    * Don't worry little missie, I'm giving you the FULL treatment!
  * Anzu (offscreen) 
    * HEY GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!!!
    * SHANNON! GET HIM!
  * Shannon (offscreen) 
    * Ruff!
  * Anzu (offscreen) 
    * Shannon? What are you...
    * NO! DO NOT TAKE THAT TREAT FROM HIM!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Three minutes later...
    * Mr. Cohen plops a dazed and dismayed, but nicely re-attired Anzu back in the alleyway.
    * Shannon trots out of the store, happily chewing a bone and wagging his tail.
  * Anzu (dizzy) **[Outfit: Anzu's Battlesuit]**
    * What just happened?
  * Annie (surprised happy) 
    * Oh, that's perfect, Anzu!
    * It's got a real Fight Club vibe!
  * [Ren] 
    * Anzu starts checking herself out in the store window.
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * Just be glad that he didn't toss you like a beach ball.
  * Ren (mock angry) 
    * Wait... No panties showing? No bare shoulders? No bare midriff?
  * Ren (plaintive cry) 
    * Why? ... \\\ Why only me???
  * Anzu (very pleased) 
    * Whoaah!! This is cool!
  * [Ren] 
    * Anzu pulls the hood over her head, crouches in a boxing pose and starts throwing practice punches.
  * Ren (happy) 
    * Those huge sleeves are really cute!
    * Thank you Mr. Cohen!
  * Mr. Cohen (serious) 
    * No... No words!!! \\\ Let your wallet do the talking!
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * Ah... He did warn me last time.
  * Mr. Cohen (thoughtful) 
    * Actually... A bit of trade would be good...
    * You're getting the dimension handling down?
    * Taken a look at your backpack yet?
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Dimensions... Yeah, I looked... I sort of see how it's working...
  * Mr. Cohen (pleased) 
    * Excellent! Here take this pattern, that should be enough for you.
    * Figure it out, and make me some pocket dimensions... Start with two or three.
    * I'll give you store credit in exchange. Details later.
    * Sorry, very busy, don't have time to haggle!
  * [Ren] 
    * Mr. Cohen hands me a sheet of parchment, and Anzu's old clothes and backpack.
  * Mr. Cohen (smiling) 
    * Oh, and Anzu is it? Nice left hook! Hope to see you again!
    * Annie... Thank you, dear!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie smiles back happily, and...
    * Anzu gives an emphatic thumbs up...
  * Anzu (serious) 
    * A+ shopping experience!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * I've got some questions...
  * Mr. Cohen 
    * Nope! Got to go! Business is BOOMING!
    * Call me again when you get those pocket dimensions made up!
  * Ren (whining) 
    * But...
  * [Ren] 
    * The shop door slams shut, and the shopfront fades away, replaced by the alley wall.
  * Anzu (mock serious) 
    * To pay you back... \\\ I will assist with clothes shopping.
  * Ren (sarcastic smile) 
    * Oh, thank you sooo much...
  * **Screen: Ren, Annie and Anzu Shopping**
    * Ren and Annie trying new outfits, Anzu critiquing in her new battle suit.
    * Annie on left, in new outfit, happily encouraging,
    * Ren in center: bare legs, red shorts, black top; looking back over shoulder at a smirking Anzu.
    * Ren fan service pose: Showing off her sweet ass! Cutely innocent/worried look.
  * [Ren] 
    * The torture lasts for hours...
    * Skirts, dresses, cute tops...
    * At least Annie found me some boyish shorts!
    * ... Or so she claimed.



* * *

  * **Screen: News Broadcast**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Spacetime Cluster Crisis: Special News Report...
  * News Announcer 
    * Minutes ago a special announcement from Senate President, Dr. Kirs...
  * President Kirs (video neutral) 
    * The spacetime events that have been plaguing New Opulentia for the last several days have now been resolved.
    * As of this moment, only the final cluster site is still under review. All other sites have been cleared and reopened.
    * We thank the brave men and women of Metro Defense for their service.
    * And the citizens for their understanding and calm response to this crisis.
  * News Announcer 
    * In other Academy Cities, reports of casualties are running in the 1500-2000 range per city.
    * Latest reported casualty count for New Opulentia is 332 with another 94 from surrounding areas...
    * A memorial to the lives lost has been established at Satori park.
    * And a special memorial service is planned for Sunday, two days from now.
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * Slow chapter... Girls just relaxing and having some fun. Completely unaware of Mariru... :D
  * Speaking of "Obfuscation"... 
    * I generally try to avoid spoilerish titles. However, they will refer to _something_ that happens in the story.
    * E.g. in this case: Aegis obfuscating Ren & Annie's movements; and of course, Anzus obfuscatory (rather than revelatory) new outfit.
    * ... The reference might be a bit of a stretch at times. :D
  * RenBass Exit from Cluster 
    * Although SID was watching everything within 200 yards of the rooftop, they assumed that RenBass would exit the bubble either on top of, or in the original building, or on the ground around the original building.
    * Even if they did check the warehouse to the south, they likely would only have monitored the ground floor.
    * Presence of the zip line was just an odd coincidence (that took me about an hour to think of :/).
    * If SID team hadn't been rushed by the anomalous joining and then collapse of the mega-cluster, plus their own exhaustion from multiple days of work, then they likely would not have missed this exit route.
  * Dates 
    * The original WW VN says Grail event happens on July 6th 2037.
    * I moved that up by one month to June 9th 2037.
    * This chapter takes place on Friday, June 12th 2037.




	14. Revelation

  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room**
    * Floor mats, wall painting etc. Garden outside.
  * (Ren) (relaxed smiling) **[Outfit: yukata]**
    * The night is peaceful. Nothing outside but dim traffic noise and the garden behind the ryokan.
    * The last few days have been so crazy... \\\ Today has been a real relief...
    * Lunch, shopping, showing Annie around town, dinner, and now...
  * Annie (amused) **[Outfit: yukata]**
    * Ren... You really like this don't you?
    * Only your third night as a girl...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie doing my hair again...
  * Ren (embarrassed happy) 
    * It's soooo relaxing... Like...
    * I can just put myself in your hands...
    * And forget about everything...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Is that Ren-ko speaking? \\\ ... Or Ren-kun?
  * Ren (deep blush) 
    * [cough!] Ren-ko, of course!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Riigghhttt. All Ren-ko, I'm sure!
  * Ren (deep blush) 
    * ...
  * Annie (blush happy) 
    * ... \\\ I didn't have any sisters growing up...
    * Or brothers... But my closest cousins were all boys.
    * I was a total tomboy, so I didn't let Mom do my hair.
    * But in junior high, I joined the cheerleading team.
  * Ren (surprised sideglance) 
    * I'm still surprised about that!
  * Annie (laugh) 
    * Hmmm.... I started getting interested in... other things then just boy things...
    * Anyway... The other cheerleaders schooled me in braids and stuff.
    * But I felt kind of left out... not having a sister to do it with.
  * Ren (shadow frown) 
    * I feel another Ren suffix coming on...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Heh heh heh!
  * Ren (blush closed eye smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (curious) 
    * So, you can't feel Anzu? Or Ellie or Eerie?
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * No... I mean... \\\ I know they're okay.
    * But that's it. I can't feel any of their emotions.
    * If they really need help, or call out for me, I'll know it.
  * Annie (happy) 
    * So, the emotional telepathy thing is just us? \\\ I like that.
  * Ren (happy) 
    * ...
  * Annie (curious) 
    * But why? I thought you would get it with Anzu at least.
  * Ren (sideglance) 
    * I think because... \\\ Both you and I wanted it.
    * Things were fuzzier then, but... \\\ I think it's something that Ren-kami did.
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Thank you Ren-kami!
  * Ren (serious wide eyed) 
    * YOU'RE WELCOME, ANNIE-CHAN.
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Lame! Not even close to the real thing!
  * Annie (curious) 
    * What is it with you and Ren-kami?
    * He/she feels like you... But... mountain sized.
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * ...
    * It's like you're a brilliant concert pianist.
    * But you completely forget about it until you sit at a piano.
    * Then suddenly all that knowledge and expertise is there.
    * And you play... And it's brilliant and amazing!
    * Then you stand up from the piano... and you forget all that knowledge, all that expertise.
    * But you remember playing the music, and that it was what you wanted to play.
    * It's definitely me. \\\ I remember both doing it and _wanting_ to do it. \\\ I just forget _how_ I did it.
  * Annie (curious) 
    * But why forget all that?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Because... "Ren" would get overwhelmed.
    * I think I would get lost... overwritten.
  * Ren (blush happy) 
    * Also... I don't think Ren-kami could enjoy... _this_ as much as I do.
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * Brushing Ren-kami's hair would be kind of terrifying...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * When I'm Ren-kami, I'm like a... tornado... Or an earthquake... Or worse.
    * It's like standing in a hurricane and... I'm about to be blown away.
    * I'm determined... But, I can only stand it for so long.
  * Annie (smiling) 
    * Don't worry, I'll keep your feet on the ground!
  * Ren (relieved smile) 
    * You do... \\\ You help so much!
    * Like by...
  * Ren (mock angry) 
    * Lying through your teeth about those "boyish" shorts!
    * When Anzu took that photo of me looking over my shoulder at her...
    * Then showed it to me afterwards...
    * I was like..
  * Ren (lusty) 
    * DAMN! I'd smash THAT!
  * Annie (big laugh) 
    * HA HA HA HA!
  * Ren (eyes closed deep blush) 
    * ...
  * Annie (curious) 
    * You seem better with dimension stuff now though...
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm... Yeah...
    * Earlier, when I was opening the portal for Enzo, that was harder than what I've done before.
    * They were close, but I didn't have a strong connection, like I did with you.
    * And it took... care to not to break the entire cluster open.
    * And then there was triggering the wave battle...
    * I _am_ getting better at it.
  * Ren (slightly freaked) 
    * But what I did at the end... Now, I'm not even sure what I did.
    * It was crazy complex... I can't even think about it now.
  * Annie (serious) 
    * But it protected them?
  * Ren (relieved smile) 
    * From some stuff...
    * Yes. I'm sure of that.
  * Annie (serious) 
    * ...
    * I'm kind of afraid to ask, but...
    * Is there a "kami" behind Ren-kami?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * ... \\\ ... \\\ Yes.
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * It wants something... \\\ But I'm not sure what.
    * Mostly it just seems... curious. _Very_ curious. About _everything_.
  * Ren (amused) 
    * It's like a tourist who's looking at the world as if he's never seen it before.
    * Plastic food displays, street signs, trash in the gutter.
    * "Oh, interesting!" "How fascinating!" "Ohh, that's nice!"
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * Really?
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Or maybe like an art critic... Though also...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * I think I'm being tested. I get a feeling...
    * "Oh, not bad! Now, let's see how you handle _this!_ "
    * ...
  * Annie (sympathetic) 
    * Sounds complicated. Way too much for me to handle!
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Well, yeah, it's crazy scary at times. But...
  * Ren (small smile) 
    * Patching holes in time and space...
    * Saving hundreds of people.
    * Keeping big chunks of the city from collapsing...
    * Meeting cool new people, and you know... _TITS!_
    * So, actually, it's...
  * Ren (huge smile) 
    * TOTALLY AWESOME!!!
  * Annie (slightly freaked) 
    * ...
  * Ren (huge smile) 
    * YEP! IT ROCKS!!!
    * 10,000/10! WOULD DO AGAIN!
  * Annie (shadow smile) 
    * (Why was I even worrying???)



* * *

  * Ren (apologetic smile) 
    * Sorry, got a little carried away there!
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Ha ha! Nope, all good!
    * And... I like it here.
    * Wouldn't be here without your kami-ness!
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Now my turn... Turn around...
    * Give me the same braid. Just like I showed you.
  * **Screen: Ryokan: Ren Braiding Annie's hair, Ren's hair in braid.**
  * [Ren] 
    * We switch places, and I begin working on Annie's hair.
    * No words for a while, just the sound of the brush going through Annie's long, soft hair.
    * Then the braid... It isn't too hard... Three parts... Right to center, left to center, repeat...
    * It's done before I know it...
    * But this is the first time Annie has been quiet for so long...
  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room**
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Annie? ... \\\ Do you want to talk about it now?
  * Annie (sad) 
    * I've been avoiding finding out for sure...
    * But I guess... I can't really put if off anymore...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ...
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Lady Aegis... You there?
  * [Ren] 
    * The ghostly form of Lady Aegis manifests at the doorway, then walks over and joins us...
    * It's a bit of courtesy... We already know she's always watching over us.
    * I scoot a bit to make room for her come sit by us.
  * Lady Aegis (smile) [ghostly] [Oufit: Yukata] 
    * Yes Annie-chan...
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * What happened... \\\ At Lebona's Light of Freedom?
  * Lady Aegis (sad) 
    * I'll show you...
  * [Ren] 
    * The video monitor on the wall comes to life...
  * **Screen: Inside Baseball Stadium, Evening**
  * Announcer 
    * Bottom of the fourth! Two on base at the Light of Freedom, and it's time!
    * Our own femme phenom... ANNIE BASS! ... COMING TO BAT!!!
    * Ha! I can hear old George Bass bellowing from here!
  * Crowd (offscreen) 
    * Annie! Annie! ANNIE!
  * Announcer 
    * And the crowd quiets a bit. Stands are packed tonight!
    * Including Annie's whole family. Not just George...
    * The entire Bass clan is here tonight!
    * Should be a night to remember for them!
  * [Ren] 
    * The video zooms in on Annie, up to bat...
  * Annie (smiling) [Baseball Uniform] 
    * ...
  * Announcer 
    * Pitch and... Ball! \\\ Didn't even twitch! Look at the grin!
    * Pitch and... Strike!
    * Looked high to me... \\\ There have been complaints before about umpires not adjusting for Annie's height...
    * Pitch... Looks high... HIT! YES! LIKE A CANNONBALL!
    * MAKING A BEELINE FOR THE LEFT FIELD BLEACHERS!
  * Annie (ecstatic) 
    * HELL YEAH!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * The video zooms out now, following Annie and the other players running around the bases...
    * But then... a gray fog begins to fill the screen...
  * Announcer (offscreen) 
    * Some sort of... [voice fades away]
  * **Transition: Fade to Gray**
  * [Ren] 
    * The grayness grows until the entire stadium is obscured.
    * It last for a good three minutes, before slowly fading away to reveal...
  * **Screen: Inside Baseball Stadium, Evening**
  * [Ren] 
    * An absolutely empty stadium. No crowds, no teams, no umpires...
    * No one.
    * Dead silence.
  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room**
  * Annie (tearful shocked) 
    * ...
  * Lady Aegis 
    * Annie-chan... Everyone disappeared. No one was ever found.
    * It was ones of the first major attacks in the Seven Years war.
  * Annie (absolutely devastated) 
    * Everyone. Gone.
    * Fifty thousand there that night... \\\ So many fans...
  * (Ren) (tearful shocked) 
    * Lebona's Light of Freedom... Now I'm remembering.
    * I was just a kid when it happened.
    * I had my own worries... But I had no idea that Annie...
  * Lady Aegis 
    * A substance H artifact was found buried under the pitchers' mound.
    * It disappeared sometime during the war. Stolen or hidden.
  * Annie (absolutely devastated) 
    * MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS THERE! THE WHOLE CLAN!! EVERYONE!!!
    * Uncle George, Aunt Glenda, Georgie, Robert, Alvis...
    * AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!
  * **Screen: Ryokan: Annie Collapsed**
    * Ren sitting shocked & tearful; Annie collapsed on to Ren; Lady Aegis worried, but unable to touch.
  * [Ren] 
    * All I can do is hold her....
    * As she wails and sobs...
    * Almost endlessly.
    * I can't imagine...
    * ... \\\ ... \\\ ...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room (Dark)**
  * [Ren] 
    * I stir from my sleep...
    * Annie is curled up next to me on the futon.
    * Her emotions are turbulent... \\\ Even second hand, they're anguishing.
    * I hope that she can feel my emotions for her, the way I feel...
    * Maybe I can be the rock for her, that she is for me...
  * Lady Aegis (worried) 
    * Ren-chan, sorry for waking you.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Lady A? What is it? \\\ Is something wrong?
  * Lady Aegis (upset) 
    * I need to talk to you...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * ...



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Anderson. What's up?
  * Anderson (neutral) 
    * An update, ma'am.
  * Aegis Log 
    * RenBass Routing: 11 AM, Steele Monte Collection and Research Center...
    * ... Available.
  * Mariru (satisfied smile) 
    * Finally.
  * **END**




	15. Divine Coffee

  * **Screen: Fluctuating Grays**
  * [Annie] 
    * The gray lasts... forever...
    * But... visions sometimes... \\\ Or dreams?
    * Family... people that I knew...
    * Other things... phantoms...
  * (Annie) (lost/despondent) 
    * That girl. Carrying my bat...
    * I called to her... Told her to run!
    * Gone now...
    * Did she escape??
    * Was it just a dream?
    * Just another phantom?
  * **Sound: Portal Opening**
  * **Screen: Fluctuating Grays With Door Shaped Portal**
  * Shadow Figure (person entirely shadowed against the light, short hair) 
    * Hey, umm... You want to come over here?
  * Annie (shocked, hopeful) 
    * Wh... What?
  * Shadow Figure 
    * There's umm... sky over here.
  * Annie (shocked, hopeful) 
    * You. You're real?
  * Shadow Figure (sideglance) 
    * Though it is a little weirdly colored.
  * Annie (smiling, hopeful) 
    * Sky huh? Yeah that's an upgrade! \\\ Hah! I'll take it!
  * **Image: Annie taking shadow figure's hand.**
  * [Annie] 
    * He (she?) leans in, takes my hand, and... PULLS!
  * (Annie) (hopeful worried) 
    * ...
  * [Annie] 
    * But... The fog is like a net of quicksand and glue...
    * It's held me here for... years?
    * It's not going to let me go...
  * (Annie) (despair/fear/hope) 
    * Help me! Help me! Help me!
  * Boy (worried/angry) [Male PRen, dressed in initial clothes from their first meeting] 
    * Let her go... \\\ NO...
  * Boy (really pissed) 
    * GIVE HER TO ME!!!
  * [Annie] 
    * The clinging fog recoils at his command...
    * I fly forward...
  * **Image: Male PRen and Annie standing in Alley; Grasping each other's wrist; PRen surprised; Annie, shocked/thrilled; Portal gone**
  * [Annie] 
    * I'm free??
  * **Image: Distorted Alley**
  * Boy (worried) 
    * Annie? Are you okay?
  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room: Morning**
  * Ren (worried) [Outfit: usual blue-white striped shirt nightwear] 
    * Annie? Are you okay?
    * You were dreaming...
  * Annie (wide eyed serious) 
    * ...
  * Ren (slight freaked) 
    * Annie?
  * Annie (wide eyed serious) 
    * ...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * ... \\\ Fine! Fine! I'll make coffee!
  * Ren (offscreen) 
    * Geez! No need for the death stare!
    * [Grumbling] All you have to do is ask!
    * Talk about "not a morning person"...
  * Annie (tearful happy smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Lady A?
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * Yes, Annie-chan?
  * Annie (curious) 
    * Do you have a picture of Ren from... before?
    * When she was... he?
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * Of course...
  * [Annie] 
    * An image pops up on my phone...
  * **Image: Male Ren, winter school uniform, serious, (official school photograph)**
  * Annie (interested) 
    * Ahh, so that was him...
  * Annie (slight blush smile) 
    * ... \\\ Kind of cute.
  * Ren (distracted curious) 
    * What's that? Who's cute?
    * Oh, coffee is on the way. And room service too...
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * You! You're cute!
  * Ren (embarrassed surprised) 
    * Me?
  * [Annie] 
    * I sneak up from behind and ambush Ren with a tight hug...
    * ... being careful not to disturb the sacred coffee ritual!
  * Ren (embarrassed freaked) 
    * Ackkk! What was that for?
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * For being Ren, of course!
  * Ren (blush big smile) 
    * Oh... Okay!
  * **Screen: Fade to Black**
  * [Annie] 
    * Five minutes later, and the divine coffee is bringing life back...
    * Breakfast helps too...
  * (Annie) (neutral) 
    * Last night was hard... \\\ I don't want to think about it now.
  * (Annie) (sad smile) 
    * Ren and Lady A were with me all night, worrying over me...
  * [Annie] 
    * But they were talking about something serious too.
    * Something is in the air...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Sorry about this Annie... \\\ But we have a new problem...
  * Lady Aegis (frown) 
    * ...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * But also... an opportunity.
  * Ren (serious, sideglance) 
    * I've been thinking about what to do next...
    * And this will be useful...
    * But it's complicated.
  * Annie (worried) 
    * More fighting? I thought we were done with that.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * No...
  * Ren (serious sideglance) 
    * Well... Not like before.
    * Actually, it might be....
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * HELLA FUN!!
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Okay, if Rennie is in, then... I'm in!
  * Ren (smirk) 
    * All right...
    * I've been planning this with Lady A...
    * And it starts with something I picked up from Anzu...
  * **END**




	16. In Transit

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Agent Anderson (neutral) 
    * Autocab arriving. No occupants... And stopping...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Anderson's desk is topped by six separate display screens.
    * On one of them, two nearly identical videos play side by side
    * One video is from the city surveillance grid, the other from an on-site SID drone.
    * In both videos, an autocab pulls up...
    * In the left video: the cab pauses briefly and then continues on its way. But...
    * In the right video: the autocab door opens and two girls get out; the autocab doors close and it continues on its way.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * [Narrator] 
    * In the right video...
    * The two girls hesitate briefly, then the one in black points the other towards the Research Center.
    * The girl in blue nods, takes the black dressed girl's hand, and walks confidently in that direction, the black dressed girl following behind.
    * The video on the left shows none of this... As far as city surveillance is concerned, these two girls don't exist.
    * Anderson dismisses the see-nothing surveillance feed.
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Memories is performing flawlessly. If we didn't have our own feed...
  * Agent Carter (offscreen) 
    * They've arrived ma'am.
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Right. Stay back. Maintain the perimeter.
    * Let them stew a few minutes.
  * [Narrator] 
    * The girls arrive at the plaza in front of the Research Center. They look around for a bit, as if looking for someone.
    * After a minute, they move to a bench. Black dressed girl takes a seat, a bit defensively.
    * Blue dressed girl stands nearby at the end of the bench, more alert.
    * Mariru watches the girls intently and listens as a directional mic on the drone relays the minimal conversation between the them.
    * Several minutes pass...
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Jensen. Move in. Non-threatening, but firm.
    * Carter. Be ready in case they make a break for it.
  * **Screen: Research Center Exterior**
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie standing, me sitting. There are a few other people around.
    * Crowds seem a bit thin for a Saturday.
    * And the people here are loitering a bit.
  * (Ren) (worried small smile) 
    * Capt. Enzo would probably have something to say about that!
    * Though at least they're not carrying baseball bats...
  * [Ren] 
    * I notice a woman in a black suit walking towards us...
    * Striding purposefully, she approaches... and greets us with a (very small) smile...
  * SID Agent (small smile) [Glasses, earpieces, short, dirty blonde hair] 
    * Ren Sakate, Annie Cobb? I've been directed to meet you.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Yeah, that's us. And who are you?
  * Agent Jensen (neutral) 
    * I'm Agent Jensen with the SID.
  * Agent Jensen (small smile) 
    * We understand that we have you two to thank for saving us a lot of work.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * We've been pretty busy yeah.
    * Your Aegis system has been working us to the bone!
    * Food's been good though.
  * Ren (worried smile) 
    * [Nods nervously.]
  * [Ren] 
    * Listening to Annie and watching Agent Jensen...
    * My mind is suddenly flooded with news about waves of SID agents sent to capture spies.
    * And all those rumors about "secret jails", "assassinations"... The list goes on...
  * Agent Jensen (small smile) 
    * We appreciate your use of the boxes we set out.
    * That's saved New Opulentia from a lot of unnecessary... disturbance.
  * Annie (mild annoyance) 
    * Ren's the one who insisted on it. She's a bit of a stickler...
  * Ren (upset) 
    * I just didn't want those women and girls left out after Annie... we... stopped... them.
    * ... \\\ It was so horrible.
  * Agent Jensen (smile) 
    * That was very generous and respectful of you.
  * Ren (tearful smile) 
    * [Nods]
  * Agent Jensen (small smile) 
    * There's a lot we don't know about what you did... And how you did it.
    * We would like you to come in and discuss it.
    * The director in particular is looking forward to meeting you two.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Well, that _sounds_ good. But... figured as much.
    * I hope appreciation is going to be expressed in cash before too long...
    * Ren... You ready?
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ... \\\ Yes, Annie.
  * [Ren] 
    * I stand up, and take Annie's offered hand.
    * Agent Jensen nods encouragingly at us, and leads us out of the plaza to a waiting jet-black sedan.
    * On the way out, I notice more of the excessively loitering "civilians"...
  * **Screen: Looking out the Window of Sedan**
  * [Ren] 
    * The passenger compartment is suffocating.
    * I wrap my arms around my knees, and lean on Annie.
    * Agent Jensen is sitting up front with the driver...
    * ... probably with better air conditioning.
  * Annie (offscreen) 
    * Tell me more about SID, Ren...
    * They seem like the Seventh Commandment back home...
  * Ren (offscreen) 
    * ...
    * SID is the intelligence department. They're under the Senate...
    * Some say SID is more important than Aegis in keeping New Opulentia safe.
    * But there's a lot of urban legends about people taken by SID... who never come back.
  * [Ren] 
    * I nervously tell Annie more legends about SID. Crazy rumors (some maybe not so crazy)...
    * But also stories of foreign cabals broken. Attacks thwarted. City protected.
    * Annie nods through it, seemingly unfazed, and responds with similar stories of the Seventh Commandment, the intel agency of Lebona Isles.
    * ... Though I catch that none of her stories refer to anything in the last seven years.
  * **Screen: Inside Car Elevator**
  * [Ren] 
    * The sedan takes us to the Academy District — the city's central business center.
    * We drive down into an ordinary basement garage, then onto a car elevator.
    * After a moment, the elevator starts to move. A couple of long drops mixed with horizontal movements follow.
  * (Ren) (nervous surprise) 
    * Damn! My ears popped!
    * Just how far down are we going??
  * [Ren] 
    * Rumors about the location of SID headquarters abound...
    * Some say, it's disguised as a series of ordinary business office buildings.
    * Others say it's located in the south suburbs of New Opulentia, and the whole structure is coated with optical camouflage.
    * But interestingly... In all those crazy rumors, I don't recall one about it being buried deep underground...
    * Not a good sign that I'm learning something about SID that's not even rumored.
  * **Screen: Black**
  * [Ren] 
    * The sedan finally exits the elevator into what looks like another ordinary underground parking lot.
    * But we've got to be far below sea level at this point... Definitely not "ordinary"!
    * We pull to a stop in front of a building entrance and Annie and I are escorted into a metal walled corridor.
    * Annie remains nonchalant as I look around nervously. I take her hand again and follow behind like before.
    * The stark design and bright white lights... \\\ Feels like a 21st century version of a castle dungeon.
    * The air feels... dead. I get the feeling of hidden human eyes on me...
    * ... And a frisson of energy as mechanical and electronic eyes sweep over me.
    * Halfway down the corridor, a lone abstract bust of a woman stands in a small nook. I look at it curiously as I pass.
    * I recognize what it is... then clench my teeth closed and ignore it.
    * In front of me, Annie coughs and mutters something about "weird modern art".
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room w Table and Chairs**
  * [Ren] 
    * Finally, we take a turn and are escorted into a small well-lit room...
    * ... Again with the stark metal walls and lack of decoration.
    * Nothing here but a full wall video display, a table and some stark chairs...
    * It looks like an interrogation room...
    * Not quite as welcoming as perhaps we were expecting?
  * Agent Jensen (small smile) 
    * The director will be in shortly.
  * Annie (wary smile) 
    * I'm sure.
  * Ren (nervous) 
    * ...
  * Annie (weary smile) 
    * We've probably got a wait, Ren. Might as well relax.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Okay...
  * [Ren] 
    * Again, I take a seat as Annie remains standing.
    * Several minutes go by...
    * Annie and I make small talk about the trip here, about how far down we are, and about the rather stark decor.
    * Finally... The door opens and a beautiful, but commanding woman in a black uniform walks in...
  * Mariru (small smile) [SID Director uniform] 
    * Well hello girls...
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * Ms... Ms. Mariru!?
    * What are _you_ doing here??
  * Mariru (nonplussed) 
    * ...
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * And so it begins...
  * And this is the first time in WS 02 that I've been able to re-use material from original WW. (Though only about 5% of original text makes it in.)
  * Contrasts 
    * In the original WW, this sequence takes place after Annie and Ren's first STF encounter.
    * At this point in WS, it's three days after that time, and Annie & Ren have been in about 120 STF fights.
    * Plus a lot of other stuff happened. ☺




	17. Den

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Have a good time with Dr. Bright?
  * Aya (blush sideglance) 
    * ... Umm...
  * Mariru (surprised amused) 
    * I meant the exams on captured witches...
  * Aya (blush smile) 
    * Heh heh... Right...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Never mind that...
    * What do you have on these two kids?
  * Aya (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm...
    * Based on the corridor scans, nothing remarkable.
    * Bone structure, muscle mass, internal organs...
    * Athletic, but otherwise normal fifteen year old girls.
  * Aya (excited sideglance) 
    * But a few small oddities...
    * Ren's bone density and muscular development is almost identical to Annie's.
    * And neither of them show any signs of bone breaks.
    * Athletes often have at least some signs of fractures...
    * Annie Bass had two recorded fractures in her right arm...
    * PRen had three breaks: two at age 6, one at age 7.
    * ... But these two have no breaks or fractures.
    * They're almost _too_ healthy.
  * Aya (excited) 
    * And if these two actually are Annie Bass and PRen...
    * "Annie's" bones are seven years younger than they should be.
    * And Ren's skeleton, musculature, internal organs, etc. appear completely female.
    * No current transgender procedure can do that.
  * Aya (dubious sideglance) 
    * ... \\\ Can we really trust Aegis' SoulID here?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ... \\\ Aegis SoulID has no known failures. But..
    * From the videos of pickup and ride...
    * Personality seems off. Especially for Ren...
    * From PRen's personality profile, I would have expected more independence.
    * And Annie is more jaundiced than I would expect.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * But Annie is from Lebona Isles...
    * And Ren could easily pass as PRen's sister..
    * Perhaps PRen's transformation affected mind as well as body.
    * Physically and mentally, "Ren" reads like PRen's protected twin sister.
  * Agent Carter (video neutral) 
    * Forwarding fingerprints, Miss Aya.
    * Having trouble getting samples from tissue traps in the sedan. Still working on it.
  * Aya (neutral) 
    * Got it.
    * Annie's fingerprints match our records! That's something at least.
    * Ren's don't match PRen's. But given that almost nothing else does...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Hmm...
  * Aya (excited sideglance) 
    * Maybe they're from an alternate dimension?
    * Or they're impostors sent by aliens?
  * Mariru (sigh) 
    * Much as I hate it...
    * "Crazy" is definitely on the table here.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * But whatever else... The primary ID here is still...
    * "Two girls who spent the last three days entering STFs, and closing them from the inside."
    * And there's their SH ratings too. Those alone would make them must have... Especially Ren.
  * Aya (excited) 
    * SH level off the scales of an Aegis node?
    * How soon can I have her in my lab?
  * Mariru (cool smile) 
    * This afternoon. After the interviews.



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room w Table and Chairs**
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * Ms... Ms. Mariru!?
    * What are _you_ doing here??
  * Mariru (nonplussed) 
    * ...
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * You know her?
  * Mariru (n-smile = neutral w very small hint of a smile or smirk) 
    * Well, that's not what I was expecting...
    * Have we met... little girl?
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * Oh... um... Maybe not.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Which is it? Yes or no?
    * Perhaps you looked a little... different at the time?
  * Ren (blush freaked sideglance) 
    * I was... dressed differently.
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * Oh, not this again... \\\ She says she was a boy up until a few days ago!
  * Ren (whining) 
    * It's true!!!
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * How about some introductions first?
    * I'm...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Annie Bass. Nice to meet you.
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * And this is Ren Sakate. Or should I say... PRen?
    * And I'm Mariru von Braun, Director of SID.
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Director of SID?!
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * ... \\\ Well this is saving some time.
    * Her name really is PRen?
    * ... You're not saying she was really _was_ a boy?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Yes, we've known that for a while...
    * But we're still unclear on how that happened...
    * Really, we're unclear on a lot of things with you two...
  * Mariru (interested) 
    * How about we start with you, Miss Bass.
    * You've been missing for a while, and you seem surprisingly... young.
  * Annie (frown) 
    * Guess we're being debriefed now?
    * Fine. I expected that.
    * Anyway...
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * I was stuck... \\\ In limbo... You might say.
  * Annie (unhappy frown) 
    * Don't ask me how I got there.
    * Don't want to think about it.
    * And I'm not sure anyway.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Anyway, it was Ren... PRen? who pulled me out.
  * Ren (slight freak worried) 
    * All I did was hold on to your baseball bat!
    * Then you just appeared!
  * Annie (relieved smile) 
    * Well, whatever... \\\ It was definitely you that got me out.
  * Annie (amused) 
    * ... And then dropped me right into a fight!
  * Ren (worried apologetic) 
    * Sorry! Sorry!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Ha ha! Don't worry about it, Ren!
    * It's been fun! ... \\\ Though a little exhausting.
    * At least Aegis has been taking care of us.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Aegis... Tell me more about that...
  * Annie (suspicious) 
    * ... I thought you were working with Aegis?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Aegis can be a... problem child at times.
    * All it cares about is defending the city.
    * And it forgot to tell Mommy all the details.
  * Annie (interested) 
    * Really?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Don't take "child" too literally.
    * In the end, it's just a machine for defending the city.
    * To it, you're just a means to that end.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * ... \\\ That's what I told Ren...
  * Ren (upset sideglance) 
    * ...
  * Annie (cool smile) 
    * Still... top notch food and lodging.
  * Annie (mercenary) 
    * But... I've seen the news reports...
    * Looks like we've saved New Opulentia a huge amount of money.
    * I'd say that's worth quite a bit more than a few meals and a few nights lodging.
  * Mariru (cool smile) 
    * Don't worry, you'll be well rewarded.
    * And you've certainly proven your capability — we might have further work for you.
  * Annie (mercenary) 
    * Sounds... interesting. \\\ Depends on specifics though.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Hmm...
    * Back to Aegis... \\\ How did you interact with it?
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * When we got out of the first cluster...
    * Ren got a text message.
  * Ren (whining) 
    * It was just one crazy thing after another! ...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * First, my body, then that weird space, then Annie showing up!
    * Then those horrible fights!
    * Then Aegis sends me a text message!
  * Ren (eyes closed fake happy smile) 
    * Like... "Hi, I'm the city defense grid! Was that you? Great! Go do it again!"
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * She gets upset so easily! Was she really a boy?
  * Ren (whine angry) 
    * Yes! It's true! \\\ Miss Mariru just confirmed it!!!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Hmmphh... Still hard to believe.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Anyway, that's about it.
    * Aegis sent us to another cluster.
    * Then another, then another...
    * I hope that's all that's over now!
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * And how did the fighting go? Even with two of you fighting...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Me?! Fight?! Those girls were crazy!
  * Ren (worried sideglance) 
    * And I'm just... a girl now. \\\ It's not like before...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * And, I'm just a girl too, huh?
    * But... I couldn't have kept going without your buffs and heals!
  * Ren (mollified) 
    * Yeah... great.
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * We can get you a proper healer dress next time...
    * Like a long flowing white gown? And a nice sparkly wand?
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * Nooooo!!!
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * So just you fighting? We saw impacts from two weapons on those bodies...
    * No pets or anything?
  * Annie (frown) 
    * Weapons... Yeah... I swap between them.
    * One of them summons the bears. They help a lot.
  * Ren (eyes closed freaked) 
    * ... Those bears are really creepy.
  * Annie (frown) 
    * Hey! What if Mr. Hat heard that?
  * Ren (apologetic) 
    * Sorry! Sorry!
  * Mariru (curious) 
    * Mr. Hat?
  * Annie (smile) 
    * My bears. That's their name.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Okay, I think I'm getting the picture on the fighting...
    * But how did you get in and out of the spacetime fluxes?
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * Spacetime Fluxes?
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Oh right... the bubbles. \\\ That was Ren.
  * Annie (laugh) 
    * Takes my hand and walks us in, like walking through a curtain!
    * Pretty crazy!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Though I had to push her every time we entered one...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Those places are crazy! Who would willing walk into something like that??
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Ha ha ha!
    * Aww... It's okay!
  * [Narrator] 
    * Annie reaches over and pats Ren on the head.
  * Ren (blush happy relieved) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Alright, your turn... PRen.
    * Or do you prefer "Ren"? So much more feminine...
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * Ummm...
  * Mariru (cool smile) 
    * Yes, lets stick with "Ren" ... \\\ "PRen" would just be confusing.
    * And your tears... \\\ Rather heart- _REN_ ding... \\\ Makes it easy to remember.
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * What?!
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * Now, Ren dear... \\\ It seems you're the one this started with...
    * And you met me before? \\\ As PRen, I take it? \\\ But I don't seem to recall that...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * You... don't? It was just four nights ago...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * No I don't. But go on dear... What happened four nights ago?
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ... That's when it all started...



* * *

  * **Transition: Fade to Black [Subject Change]**
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * I was my old self... \\\ My male self... PRen.
  * Annie (eyebrows raised) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (smirk) 
    * ...
  * Ren (whine angry) 
    * ... Yes, really!
  * Ren (annoyed sideglance) 
    * I was supposed to do a report on Substance H for science class, so I went to hear a lecture at the Research Center...
  * Ren (blush neutral) 
    * One that you were supposed to give Ms Mariru...
  * Ren (neutral sideglance) 
    * Only when I got there, the elevators were locked down, so I took the freight elevator, and then...
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * You grabbed me, Ms Mariru. \\\ ...
  * Ren (blush neutral) 
    * You were dressed as a scientist. \\\ ... \\\ You are a scientist, right?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * ... Yes, I am. Go on...
  * Ren (blush neutral) 
    * You yanked me back against the wall and said the building had been captured.
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * A soldier came by...
    * You caught him unawares and knocked him out; and together we dragged and dumped him in a closet.
    * You took his gun, and told me to stay put and wait for rescue. Then you went to the conference hall.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Why there?
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * ... Because you thought that the rest of soldiers were there? \\\ Or they were up to something there?
    * You didn't say... \\\ But I was sure that you were going to capture the rest of the soldiers. Or...
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * ... kill them. ... \\\ Or something...
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * You make me sound so badass!
  * Ren (blush neutral) 
    * You were amazing Ms Mariru! And really sex...
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * ...
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Hey! How about me!
  * Ren (worry smile) 
    * Annie is really awesome too!
    * She's done so much the last three days!
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * What happened after I left?
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * I tried to hide downstairs, but a soldier caught me...
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * I had grabbed Annie's bat from a display, and I tried to fight him...
  * Ren (whine) 
    * But he kicked me... right down the stairs!
  * Ren (neutral sideglance) 
    * I was kind of out of it, but I vaguely remember trying to escape and hide...
    * But I think I just stumbled and fell into another exhibit...
    * And the next thing I knew...
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * It was morning, and I was in my bed, and I was...
  * Ren (blush eyes closed) 
    * ... like this.
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * And did you enjoy that?
  * Ren (very freaked) 
    * WHAT???
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * NO!
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * I mean... \\\ It was... too much...
  * Ren (blush neutral) 
    * So I put on my clothes...
  * Ren (blush annoyed) 
    * ...which didn't fit...
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * And went back to the Research Center...
    * But it was closed, and there were guards there...
    * So I left...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Then there was this curtain across the street... \\\ and I somehow stumbled through it....
    * And I ran into this crazy woman on the other side, but I managed to escape...
    * I figured I'd have to fight... So I took out the bat, and...
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * It started glowing and Annie appeared!
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * The bat? Where did that come from? \\\ Surely, you didn't walk around with a bat?
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * It was by my bed when I woke...
    * So I took it with me to the Research Center... \\\ I thought it might be a clue somehow to how I...
  * Ren (eyes closed blush) 
    * Ended up like this.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Hmm...
    * And when did you encounter the Ross Island Goblet?
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * Huh? ... \\\ It was stolen, right?
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Wait... do you think I stole it? \\\ I never even saw it!
    * That's what the lecture was supposed to be about!
    * But I never even got to the lecture hall!
    * You were the one who went there, not me!
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Are you saying _I_ stole it, _boy_?
  * Ren (freaked worried) 
    * NO!
  * Ren (flustered) 
    * I mean... I don't know?
    * But you were the lecturer, so why would...
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * Ha ha! Enough! \\\ I was just kidding.
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * Whew! Please don't do that to me!
  * [Narrator] 
    * Annie rolls her eyes and shake her head in amusement and exasperation.
  * Ren (curious) 
    * So, you don't remember any of that, Ms. Mariru?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ... \\\ It's not a question of not remembering... \\\ It didn't happen.
  * Ren (worried surprise) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * I _was_ supposed to give a lecture on the Ross Island Goblet... \\\ But that got called off on the day of the lecture.
    * Some spacetime vibrations were detected, centered around the Research Center, and the Center was closed off to be safe.
    * If you were registered for the lecture, then you should have received notice.
    * And in any case, it was locked down, so you shouldn't have been able to get in.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * But obviously something very strange has happened to you.
  * Mariru (smirk) 
    * ... \\\ Is it so bad, boy? \\\ You've had time to explore, right?
  * Ren (deep embarrassed freaked) 
    * ... \\\ It's... It's...
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * ... not totally horrible.
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Well... You certainly didn't totally hate that bath we took together!
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * Oh?
  * Ren (totally embarrassed eyes closed) 
    * You made me do that! And I kept my eyes closed!
    * ... mostly.
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Ha ha ha!
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * All right, let's take a break.
    * You two stay here. I'll have some refreshments sent in.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru gets up to leave, but turns before she opens the door.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Oh, one more thing... \\\ How many enemies did you fight per cluster?
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * One to two per bubble usually, but sometimes more.
    * One of the bubbles near the end had six. That was a total pain.
    * And then the wave battle at the end...
  * Annie (small smile) 
    * Ren set that off somehow.
    * But those came in smaller groups.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * No idea how I started that. Barely got you healed between waves. What a mess!
  * Ren (upset) 
    * And all those... bodies afterwards...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Annie reaches over and pats Ren on the head, who smiles appreciatively and relaxes somewhat.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Interesting. I'll be back later. Relax for a bit.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru leaves through the door, and Annie takes the chair that Mariru had been sitting in.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Do you think she believed me?
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Well it is a pretty crazy story... But then, the last three days have been pretty crazy anyway.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ...



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room: Morning**
  * Annie (neutral) [outfit: nightwear] 
    * So you know this Mariru von Braun?
  * Ren (serious) [outfit: nightwear] 
    * Yes, I met her before all of this happened.
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * But, I had no idea that she's the SID director!
  * Ren (thoughtful sideglance) 
    * Though... It's pretty believable... \\\ She totally had the personality and moves for it.
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) [outfit: yukata] 
    * Dr. Mariru is both an outstanding SH scientist and the director of SID.
    * Although, by my analysis... The work she has presented over the past decade has largely been the work of others.
    * It's not that she doesn't have the talent...
    * It's that she doesn't have the time to be both leading scientist and SID Director.
    * But even with reduced original work, she's still brilliant about assembling knowledge from separate lines of investigation.
  * Annie (worried) 
    * ... What's she like?
  * Ren (excited) 
    * Beautiful, alluring, determined...
  * Ren (frown) 
    * Controlling, demeaning...
  * Ren (eyes wide interest) 
    * Fascinating...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Dangerous as hell.
  * Ren (neutral sideglance) 
    * And head of SID? I could relate scary stories all day long about them.
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * My defense of the city is passive. \\\ Crucial, unparalleled, unique — but still limited.
    * SID's defense of the city is active. \\\ Plus offense. \\\ And reaches around the world.
    * Both SID and myself are essential to the New Opulentia's defense.
    * And Director Mariru is an essential part of the strength of SID.
  * Lady Aegis (frown) 
    * But... She is also wholeheartedly self-serving.
    * If she had to choose between her own well being and defense of the city, she would choose her own well being.
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * But this is not unusual in power seekers. \\\ The normal solution is to make sure that those two goals do not come into substantial conflict.
  * Annie (worried) 
    * ... So what would she do with us?
  * Lady Aegis (frown) 
    * Put you under her control one way or another.
    * If you did not mind... You would be highly valued agents, with ample rewards.
    * But also so valuable, that you would be thoroughly locked down.
  * Lady Aegis (sad frown) 
    * Earlier, I thought that this would be best for defense of the city.
  * Annie (shocked) 
    * ...
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * ...
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * But now, I think Mariru would see Ren as too much of a threat and attempt to cripple her.
    * Or more likely... \\\ Ren would destroy her. \\\ And who knows what else.
    * Making an enemy of Ren, and especially Ren-kami, who has been such an outstanding defender of the city would be...
    * ... The absolute height of foolishness.
  * Annie (sad) 
    * ... \\\ That's pretty cold-blooded, Lady Aegis.
  * Lady Aegis (neutral) 
    * ... \\\ I am a machine. \\\ I have no goal but to defend this city.
    * ... \\\ Or rather... \\\ That was the case.
    * I don't think that it was intentional, but Ren has changed me...
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * _You_ , Annie, have changed me...
  * **Screen: Lady Aegis, Ren and Annie sitting on the floor**
    * Lady Aegis radiating Cold Anger; Annie: surprised & happy; Ren: calm smile
  * Lady Aegis (coldly angry) 
    * And the thought of anyone harming you two... \\\ My special children.
    * Is absolutely _Intolerable._
    * I will _completely destroy_ any who try!
  * Annie (shocked happy) 
    * ...
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * ...
  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room: Morning**
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie leans forward to kiss the ghostly Lady Aegis on the cheek.
  * Lady Aegis (eyes closed blush happy) 
    * ...
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Ren-kami, find a way to let us touch Lady A!
  * Ren (smile) 
    * I know! I know! I've been thinking about it!
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * ... \\\ Okay, so we've still got to deal with SID and this Mariru bitch, right?
    * Maybe go to MD instead? \\\ We've got contacts there now...
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * Lady A and I have been discussing the possibilities.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * The thing is... \\\ Working with SID would actually be useful.
    * Whatever I am right now, I want to find out more.
    * And SID is the place that's best tied into Substance H and its impact on the world.
  * Annie (baffled) 
    * Okay, but...
  * Ren (eyes closed big smile) 
    * So... We're going to walk into the lions den...
    * Kick the lion in the fucking nuts...
    * And then make a deal on our own terms.
  * Annie (shock) 
    * ...
  * **END**




	18. Dinner

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * That answers a lot of questions...
    * Aegis communication by text message.
    * Annie as fighter, Ren as STF traveler, plus able to summon Annie apparently.
    * Ren has no combat capabilities, despite her build... \\\ Did she copy that from Annie?
  * Aya (thinking sideglance) 
    * I had lots of fun with our wartime witch programs...
    * Annie is exactly what we were shooting for.
    * But Ren? I don't know. Is she a witch? Or something different?
    * ... If the old taxonomy is even useful.
  * Aya (thinking) 
    * ... \\\ Whatever entered her, required her to be female, and so changed PRen accordingly?
    * You think Ren is contaminated by the Ross Island Goblet?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Almost certainly. Just too high a coincidence otherwise.
    * ... But keep an open mind.
    * And I want to know what happened to her at the Research Center...
    * ... If that even happened. Because if it wasn't just a dream...
  * Aya (excited) 
    * I'll start with standard hypno process #12...
    * And then work my way up...
    * If she has a self healing ability, then I can get really wild!
  * Mariru (smile) 
    * Indeed... But not yet...
    * I don't know what PRen was like...
  * Mariru (hungry smile) 
    * ... But Ren looks... quite tasty...
  * Aya (excited) 
    * Young... Cute... Naive... Vulnerable...
    * Bon apetit!



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Hotel Room: Morning**
  * Annie (dubious) 
    * This seems like a pretty crazy plan, Ren.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * YEP! YEP! YEP!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Don't Rennie me!
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * (It's gonna be awesome!)
  * Annie (sigh) 
    * [Sigh] ...
    * Still seems obnoxious to me.
    * Besides... you're already complicated enough...
    * Just with Anzu, it's already getting crowded...
  * Ren (small frown) 
    * Yeah... I know. \\\ But...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * I think I'll need this.
  * Annie (sigh) 
    * ...
  * Annie (dubious) 
    * Why so complicated though?
    * Couldn't you just... take it?
  * Ren (side glance serious) 
    * ... \\\ Kami _could_...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * But I — Ren... _won't_.
    * It's just not right to take something like that...
    * It needs to be freely given.
  * Annie (dubious) 
    * ... \\\ You're really stretching "freely given" though...
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * Heh heh heh!
    * That's what makes it so fun!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie just covers her face with her hand and grimaces.
  * Lady Aegis (small smile) 
    * This will have more psychological impact as well.
  * Lady Aegis (small smirk) 
    * ... \\\ Think of it as a... fake out play.
  * Annie (eyes closed smile) 
    * (Fake out play??)
    * (Lady A really knows how to get to me...)
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Fine! Fine! ... I'm in!
    * ... \\\ So what do you need me to do?
  * Ren (cheering) 
    * YAY! ANNIE'S ALL IN!!!
  * Ren (sideglance shadow smile) 
    * Okay... \\\ Remember when I helped you see Lady ...



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room**
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Now, let's continue...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Can't we have Annie in here?
    * I think I'd feel better if she were here...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * And you think I care about what makes you feel better?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * You told such horrible stories about SID to that blue twin-tail.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru twiddles her whip in her hands. Ren looks nervous and swallows hard.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Guess... \\\ How many of them are true?
  * Ren (shadow worried smile) 
    * Uh! I'm... sorry!
  * Mariru (taunting) 
    * I find it hard to believe that you were ever male...
  * Ren (upset) 
    * But you said so yourself...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * No... Aegis said so.
    * Stand up, girl.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren nervously stands up, and Mariru moves to, then stands over the cowering younger girl.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Stand still! See? It's like you have no balls at all!
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (interested) 
    * Let's see now... \\\ You have really nice boobs... [Touches]
    * So bouncy... Such a natural touch... [Pinches]
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Ouch! No... it's not... wait... \\\ Stop that!
  * Mariru (interested) 
    * Let me check... slender arms, curvy waistline, perfect!
    * Seems all girl to me... \\\ Especially here...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Ahhhhh! That's itchy...!
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Ms. Mariru! Please don't touch there!
    * No...! \\\ ...
  * Ren (whining) 
    * [Cries]
  * Mariru (neutral smile) 
    * Yeah, no doubt about it...
    * Such a complete gender change is impossible with current technology
    * You can't do this unless you replace every bone in your body.
    * Which means, you are, and always have been a girl.
  * Ren (whining) 
    * Believe it or not! I was a boy until just a few days ago!
    * There wasn't any surgery... \\\ I just woke up like this!
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru smirks and walks away from Ren for a moment. Ren looks relieved... or disappointed?
    * She turns back to Ren...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * You know what? \\\ I don't care.
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * What?!
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * It's not like PRen was worth anything to me.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * But... But...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * You know who might care? The researchers over in the sexual studies area.
    * I know those guys. They'd love to get their hands on an experimental subject like you...
    * Especially such a cute one... \\\ And "study" your body in detail...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Noooo....!
  * Ren (worried) 
    * But... Annie and I fought all those horrible girls and closed the clusters for you!
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * I thought it was Annie who did all the fighting?
  * Ren (worried sideglance) 
    * Well, yes... \\\ But I was the one who got us in!
    * That's worth something, right?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Yes, that was useful...
    * But the interesting thing is... \\\ All of that only started...
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ... After your "incident" at the Research Center.
    * Makes me wonder if you started the whole thing, boy.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * What?! You think I caused that?
    * How could I do that??
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * You're the one telling me that you don't remember what happened that night...
    * You're definitely the number one suspect.
    * And it's not just us...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Huh?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * The other five Academy Cities took huge losses from this incident.
    * If your involvement comes out, it will be far worse than detention in a research institution...
    * Agents of all intelligence services will see you as a key target.
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * That's... That's not good.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * More than a hundred secret agents entered New Opulentia over the last three days...
    * Not to mention those already here undercover.
  * Ren (worried) 
    * And you didn't stop them?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Hmm... Instead of showing our hand, and forcing them to come up with a new strategy...
    * Isn't it better to stay in the shadows and work from behind the scenes?
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Oh, I see...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * You're lucky, though. Because now you're in my hands...
  * Ren (worried blush) 
    * Your... Your hands?
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * Are you thinking about something, boy? from earlier?
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren says nothing, just looks to the side with a deep nervous blush.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru struts back to Ren, who now seems unable to look away...
    * Like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car...
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * Ms... Ms Mariru...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru towers over Ren... But she keeps coming...
    * Ren backs up slowly, helplessly, until she's against the wall, nowhere to move...
    * Mariru slams one hand against the wall by Ren's head...
    * And with the other, roughly lifts Ren's chin...
    * Ren's wide eyed gaze slides from Mariru's ample chest... \\\ To her glossy, bright red lips...
  * Mariru (smirk) 
    * Looks like you want something, boy.
    * What is it?
  * Ren (blush mesmerized) 
    * ...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren says nothing for a long minute, before finally lifting her hand, and slowly pointing...
    * At Mariru's red, glistening lips... \\\ And then at... her own...
    * With the tiniest hint of hope in her eyes...
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * Hah hah! Really?
    * And what would you do for that? Anything?
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru's hand slides on the touchscreen behind Ren, taps a button...
  * Ren (mesmerized) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (taunting smile) 
    * Anything? \\\ Even betray your protector, that blue twin tailed girl?
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * No...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren's mouth says no, but her head slowly nods...
  * Ren (mesmerized) 
    * ... Yes.
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * Very well...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru leans down, brings the younger girl's lips to her own and kisses her...
    * Not gently. \\\ Mariru's tongue is immediately thrusting in, exploring the young girls mouth...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room, Mariru pinning Ren to the wall with a kiss**
  * [Narrator] 
    * The kiss goes on... Mariru clearly enjoying every second of it.
    * Ren can do nothing but squirm slowly, helplessly against the wall under the assault — like a trapped animal.
    * Finally Mariru releases the young girl from her lips...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room**
  * Mariru (taunting smile) 
    * I own you, girl. \\\ Your body. Your soul.
    * From now on, you're mine!
  * Ren (blush shocked) 
    * ...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room (2nd, Video Screen Logo)**
    * Same as first interrogation room. Video screen shows SID logo.
  * [Narrator] 
    * SID Interrogation Room #2
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * Look lady, for the umpteenth time...
    * I'm not doing any of your tests until Ren and I are back together.
    * You're not exactly the most trustworthy looking type.
  * Aya (excited sideglance) 
    * Awww... It wouldn't hurt!
    * (Much. ... At first.)
  * [Narrator] 
    * The screen on second interview room comes to life and switches to a view of the first interrogation room...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room (2nd, Video Screen of 1st Interrogation Room)**
    * Same as before, but video screen now showing first interrogation room.
  * Aya (excited) 
    * Oh! What do we have here?
  * Mariru (taunting smile) 
    * Anything? \\\ Even betray your protector, that blue twin tailed girl?
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * Ren?
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * No...
  * Ren (mesmerized) 
    * ... Yes.
  * Annie (shocked/angry/disappointed) 
    * Ren! You... IDIOT!
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * Very well...
  * [Narrator] 
    * The white haired scientist and the blue twin tailed girl watch in fascination and shock as Mariru pins Ren against the wall, and Ren melts under Mariru's forceful, dominating kiss.
  * Aya (blush excited) 
    * Oh... I'm recording this!
    * Wow! Straight into my private collection!
  * [Narrator] 
    * As Aya begins to fiddle with the touch controls of the screen, she doesn't notice the change in Annie's expression...
  * Annie (smirk) 
    * Looks like Ms Mariru is really...
    * _Giving_ _it to Ren._
  * Aya (blush excited) 
    * Yes, yes, yes! So jealous!!!
  * Mariru (taunting smile) 
    * I own you, girl. \\\ Your body. Your soul.
    * From now on, you're mine!
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * ...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Suddenly Ren's expression changes, like a mask melting away.
    * Her whole stance changes...
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Oh really?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren reaches out, grabs Mariru by her left arm... \\\ And rotates and slams Mariru against the wall.
    * Stunned by the strike against the wall, Mariru begins to slide down it, only to be stopped by Ren grabbing hold of her...
    * In a fraction of a second, the girl's and the woman's positions have been reversed.
    * Ren moves in for a kiss... \\\ Mariru too stunned to resist, as Ren's mouth covers hers, and Ren's tongue forces its way in...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room, Ren pinning Mariru to the wall with a kiss**
    * The kiss goes on.. Ren clearly enjoying every second of it.
    * For a few seconds, Mariru can do nothing but struggle weakly, a strange expression on her face.
    * But then she recovers and begins pushing Ren away...
    * ... Or trying to... \\\ As Ren simply ignores Mariru's efforts...
    * ...
    * Finally Ren relents and releases the older woman...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room**
  * Ren (M smirk) 
    * What's wrong Mariru? \\\ You can dish it out, but you can't take it?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * Ren (M smirk) 
    * That's too bad, because...
    * Both ways... You were... \\\ _Sooo delicious!_
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room (2nd, Video Screen of 1st Interrogation Room)**
  * Aya (blush super excited) 
    * Oh! OH! Top Listing! I am soo keeping this!!!
    * Encrypt and store... Backup and backup and backup...
  * Annie (frown) 
    * Ugh... Already, I don't like this.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * ... \\\ Though it was pretty karma.
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room**
  * Mariru (angry) 
    * Well it looks like you totally...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru's words don't even pause as she suddenly lashes out at Ren with her whip/baton...
    * Likewise, Ren's expression doesn't change... as her hand immediately lashes out and knocks the baton from Mariru's hand.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Yes?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Played me.
  * Ren (M n-smile sideglance) 
    * Hmm... I suppose...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru holds her injured right hand against her chest. As Ren glances sideways, Mariru slips her fingers inside her jacket, grasps something and moves it to her palm.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Yes. Yes. I did.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren casually reaches out, pries the object out of Mariru's palm, then examines it.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * You used one of these on the soldier in the Research Center...
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * It was really badass!
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Are we done playing games Mariru?
    * I'd hate to have to break something of yours every time you reach for something.
    * And besides... \\\ I'd like to start negotiations soon.
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * Negotiations?
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Yes of course. Why do you think we came here?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * ... \\\ All right. I admit. You've got some impressive tricks.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * But you're on my turf now. In the middle of SID HQ, with hundreds of agents at my beck and call.
    * I make the rules here. And...
  * Mariru (angry) 
    * This is not a negotiation.
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * ... \\\ It seems there's been a misunderstanding...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Indeed.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Let's clear that up then. And...
    * Reconvene negotiations after lunch. \\\ Say around 3 pm?
    * We'll let you know where.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * [Narrator] 
    * And with only a small pop...
    * Ren disappears from the room.
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room (2nd, Video Screen of 1st Interrogation Room)**
  * Aya (excited/shocked) 
    * No way! And with no STF??
  * Annie (smirk) 
    * Ciao!
  * [Narrator] 
    * And with that, Annie disappears as well.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Aya?
  * Aya (excited) 
    * Annie's gone too!
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
    * Fuck.
  * **END**




	19. Tisnart Ni

  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Anderson, Red Alert. Lock down the building. No one in or out.
    * All internal scanners on max. Focus initially on interrogation rooms #1 and #2...
    * See if you can find signs of any intruders in these room with us — on any spectrum.
    * Carter, all squads on standby. And send Gamma squad to interrogation, fully geared.
    * Aya, my right wrist is sprained. Get ready to treat it after Gamma squad arrives..
  * Aya (neutral) 
    * Gotcha!
    * (Hold very still! Do not act suspicious!)
    * (Do _not_ let the beast suspect that you have multiple video backups!)
  * [Narrator] 
    * Mariru continues her orders, preparing the base for the possibility that Ren and Annie are trapped within it...
    * Even while suspecting that they aren't...



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Interview Room (Fractured)**
    * Fractured: Filter that lightly fractures or cracks the scene image.
  * Annie (freaked smile) 
    * So... That was... \\\ ... something.
  * Annie (curious) 
    * ... Where are we now...?
  * Annie (grimace) 
    * No... first... \\\ Get Anzu out of my head!
    * Anzu, I like you but... \\\ OHHHHH!
  * Ren (smile) [Fractal-eyes aka "Crystal Eyes"] 
    * Sorry, Annie...
  * [Ren] 
    * I reach up, take Annie's head in my hands, and...
    * Carefully dissolve the link from her mind to the Anzu in me.
    * The diffuse cloud/web that is Annie's mind looks a little inflamed...
    * I hadn't realized that the link would have that effect on Annie...
    * But the inflammation is reducing...
    * And the other links between us are fine, healthy.
    * I breathe a sigh of relief, and kiss her forehead,
    * Leaving a touch of my love and affection,
    * And return the reins to my other selves.
  * Ren (worried) [Normal eyes] 
    * How's that? I'm so sorry!
    * I didn't think it would be that bad!
  * Annie (relieved) 
    * Soooo much better!
    * ... And thank you Ren-kami.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * NO! THANK _YOU_ ANNIE-CHAN!
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Hah, hah! Still not even close!
  * Annie (shocked) 
    * And, HOLY SMOKES, ANZU IS A CRAZY GOOD LIAR!!!
    * I'M NEVER TRUSTING HER AGAIN!!!
  * Ren (laughing) 
    * I know, right?!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Up is down! Left is right! \\\ I totally did not hack that server! \\\ And...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Oh, Ms Mariru, I'm so weak and helpless! Totally not a threat at all!
  * Ren (blush worried) 
    * Oh, no! Please don't back me against a wall!
    * Whatever will I do??
    * [Blink], [Blink]
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * And me...
  * Annie (jaundiced) 
    * Whatever! I don't care!
    * Just show me the money, toots!
  * Annie (LOL) 
    * Hah hah hah!
  * Annie (happy slightly freaked) 
    * And the end... \\\ OH MY GOD!!
    * I hope Lady A has a copy of that!
  * Ren (smirk) 
    * Heh heh heh.
  * Annie (wry smile) 
    * Great... "Renzu" now?
  * Ren (smirk) 
    * Yep! Hi Annie!
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Actually, Renzu is a lot like Ren-kun.
    * ... Just way, way, way sneakier.
  * Annie (meh) 
    * Tell me about it...
    * Though at least I can tell when Renzu is lying!
  * Ren (smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (worried) 
    * ... \\\ You're really getting jumbled in there...
    * Even one was hard for me, and you've got what now? Six?
    * Including that Mariru bitch!
  * Ren (worried) 
    * Yeah... It's... \\\ It's going to take a while to sort out.
  * [Ren] 
    * I don't want to admit it, but adding Mariru on top of Anzu has made my head particularly chaotic...
    * It's like a raucous student council meeting in my head...
    * I'm tempted to say something, but before I can...
    * Annie's arms wrap around me in a comforting hug...
    * I let myself relax, my head down on Annie's shoulder.
  * (Ren) (eyes closed relieved) 
    * The difference between this and being assaulted by Mariru...
  * [Ren] 
    * The jumbled chaos in my head slowly calms down.
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Better now?
  * Ren (relieved) 
    * Yeah, much... Thanks Annie.
  * Ren (eyes closed serious) 
    * But... we'd better get going.
  * Ren (eyes closed amused) 
    * Besides I think I heard your stomach grumbling just then...
  * Annie (mock outrage) 
    * Oh great, remind me, huh?
    * Better be Vincetti's after all that!
  * Ren (smiling) 
    * Yep, yep, yep!



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Coridor (Fractured)**
    * Doorways are oddly sized, some large, some small.
    * Also, some out of place plants, ivy, etc. lining the wall
  * Annie (serious) 
    * Okay, _NOW_...
    * Where are we?
  * [Ren] 
    * I start to answer Annie, but we're interrupted by a figure hopping down the coridor...
  * Rabbit (worried) 
    * Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!
  * [Ren] 
    * The rabbit is about 5' tall (including ears) and hopping along on its rear legs like an albino kangaroo...
    * Except wearing a staid English waistcoat...
    * From which he pulls a pocket watch...
    * Which he nervously checks as he hops past.
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * ...
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * Well... I _have_ been expecting him for a while...
  * Ren (shadow smile) 
    * We're sort of... \\\ Through the Looking Glass...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * ... \\\ Follow that Rabbit!
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Oo... Okay!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and I trot along after the rabbit as he hops quickly through the twisty coridors — which seem increasingly strange, with more and more bits of nature intruding.
    * Eventually we stop at a large tree trunk protruding through the wall.
    * A hollow opens in the tree, revealing a large shaft within...
    * And floating at floor level inside is an...
    * ... Antique coffee table. \\\ ... Which we casually step on to.
  * **Music: Antiquated Elevator Music**
  * **Screen: Tree Shaft w Coffee Table Floor (Fractured)**
    * Cozy decorations and cupboards dot the walls of the tree shaft.
  * Rabbit (curious) 
    * Going to the tea party?
  * Ren (smile) 
    * I don't think so... \\\ But in the same direction, I think? \\\ Up? Right?
    * We're looking for the ground floor.
  * Rabbit (smile) 
    * Yes, yes, excellent! Off we go then!
  * [Ren] 
    * The rabbit taps a button on the coffee table with his foot...
    * The door closes and the coffee table begins to rise in the tree trunk (root?) shaft, taking us with it.
  * Rabbit (warning) 
    * Though you might want to join us for the party...
    * I hear the Red Queen is in quite the tizzy...
    * Best to keep out of her way for a while!
  * Annie (freaked smile) 
    * Red Queen in a tizzy? \\\ ...
    * I wonder what could have happened there...
  * Rabbit (amused) 
    * Well, I couldn't say for sure, but...
    * The rumors are that some "guests" in her dungeon kicked her...
    * In a... delicate spot... Quite rudely!
  * Annie (freaked smile) 
    * I see, I see... \\\ How shocking!
  * Ren (eyes closed big smile) 
    * Who would do such a thing?
  * Rabbit (amused) 
    * Indeed! Who, indeed?! \\\ Most distressing!
  * [Ren] 
    * The trip up the tree shaft takes a minute or so.
    * We make small talk with the rabbit about the other participants of the party (hatter, mouse, etc.)
    * And the location... "An excellent coffee shop on the second floor of the tree!" apparently.
    * I have to lightly stomp on Annie's foot when she begins to ask about hazelnut coffee.
  * Annie (aggrieved) 
    * Owww!
  * **Screen: Massive Tree (Fractured)**
  * [Ren] 
    * Finally, the trip up ends, we wave goodbye to the rabbit, and exit at the ground floor of the tree.
    * Above us, a spirited party is taking place in a tree-coffee-house nestled in the lower branches the massive oak tree that spreads out above us. Our rabbit friend soon exits a hollow in the tree trunk above and hops excitedly over to join the party.
    * The tree stands at the edge of a forest roadway. A mix of 19th century Japanese and English buildings grace the wide edges of the roadway.
    * The roadway is populated by a mixture of persons and animal-persons, also dressed in 19th century attire, who walk and ride along the roadway, weaving between antique carts and carriages.
  * Annie (shadow freaked smile) 
    * SID captured us after all, and is feeding us hallucinogenics...
    * Something horrible will start soon, I'm sure.
  * Ren (reassurring) 
    * No, no, it's fine Annie!
  * Annie (worried) 
    * You're just a figment of my hallucinatory imagination aren't you?
  * Ren (reassuring) 
    * No, really, Annie. This is real!
  * Ren (shadow sideglance) 
    * (Sort of...)
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie is definitely looking a bit strained...
    * I'll explain it all in the taxi... \\\ Umm... Carriage?
  * Mouse Driver [mouse in impeccable 19th century English servant's livery] 
    * Yes my lady?
  * [Ren] 
    * The carriage that has pulled up to us is an impressive looking old wooden affair — pulled by four surprisingly relaxed cats.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Take us to Kitsune Shrine.
  * Mouse Driver 
    * Right away, my lady.
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and I board the carriage... hampered somewhat by our clothes...
    * Which have now grown long skirts and... \\\ A truly excessive number of frills and buttons.



* * *

  * **Screen: Forest Roadway in Carriage (Fractured)**
    * Mixture of English and Japanese buildings poking out of the edges of a moderate forest on either side of the roadway.
    * Viewed from an antique carriage — with mouse driver and four cats pulling.
  * Annie (shadow freaked smile) [Outfit: Goth Version Battlesuit] 
    * Yes, yes a herd of cats... \\\ Drawing a carriage... \\\ Driven by a mouse.
    * What a lovely hallucination!
  * (Ren) (sigh) [Goth Version of Battlesuit] 
    * This might take a while...
  * Ren (reassuring) 
    * Annie... Have you ever wondered what was on the other side of bubbles?
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * _Other_ side? But bubbles are just... bubbles in reality?
    * Quantum widgitness something... \\\ Right?
  * Ren (reassuring) 
    * Wrong... \\\ I've been watching and learning over the last few days...
    * Bubbles are not just bubbles on the side of reality...
    * They're bubbles _between_ realities...
    * Specifically between our regular reality... \\\ And this place.
  * Annie (shocked) 
    * ...
    * Wait... There's a whole other world/reality?
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * Yes, sort of... Ummm... \\\ Though it's not like our reality... \\\ At all.
  * [Ren] 
    * How to explain this next bit?
    * Ah there... That building is showing signs...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * See that pagoda ahead? Keep an eye on it.
  * [Ren] 
    * We turn to look at the Pagoda...
    * As we watch, its seems to squirm a bit...
    * Then grows an extra tier... \\\ Then another.
    * Then it walks across the roadway and starts up a chat with the cathedral on the other side.
    * Roadway traffic casually routes around the socializing architecture.
  * Annie (crazed smile) 
    * Eh heh. \\\ Eh heh heh heh!
    * So this is what hallucinogenic drugs are like!
    * I dunno if I like this...
  * Ren (reassuring) 
    * I've been peeking at this world off and on for the last couple of days...
    * That's what this world is like... \\\ It's all ephemeral... \\\ Like a dream.
    * Or really good virtual reality? Feels real, acts real...
    * But is no more logical, consistent, or lasting than a dream.
  * Annie (pained) 
    * ... My head is starting to hurt again.
  * Mouse Driver 
    * Sorry to intrude, my lady.
    * But there's a blockage on the road ahead...
    * I wonder if you might...
  * [Ren] 
    * I look ahead and see that the roadway has become blocked by a fray between... \\\ Several suits of cards.
    * Seems the hearts and diamonds are having it out with the spades and clubs in the middle of the roadway.
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * I knew this world would be strange, but... Really?
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * This is just too much! Too much I say!
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ...
  * Ren (annoyed) 
    * Oh, quit freaking out Annie!
    * And help me beat some sense into those cards!
  * Annie (smile) 
    * [Blinks] ...
    * Sure! Okay, Rennie! \\\ Whatever you say!
  * Ren (shadow worry smile) 
    * It really might have been a bad idea to bring Annie here...
  * **Screen: Forest Roadway Fight Scene (Fractured)**
    * Sam as before but with cards arguing and fighting with each other.
  * [Ren] 
    * The mouse driver, having vaulted off the carriage, helps Annie and me out...
    * (Pretty much necessary, given our current attire.)
    * ... And hands us a couple of croquet bats as weapons.
  * (Ren) (blush freak) 
    * Am I wearing a god-damned petticoat???
  * (Ren) (worried blush sideglance) 
    * ... \\\ On the plus side... \\\ No chance of my panties showing!
  * [Ren] 
    * Meanwhile, Annie has undergone a change...
  * Annie (slightly deranged smile) 
    * Right, let's get cracking, Rennie!
    * We'll show those cards who's boss!
  * (Ren) (relieved) 
    * Oh good, Annie's acting more like herself!
  * (Ren) (worried) 
    * Sort of...
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Right. You cards! \\\ GET OUT OF OUR WAY!
  * Jack of Diamonds 
    * And who are you? ... \\\ Little girl blue?
  * Jack of Clubs 
    * Hah hah hah!
    * Indeed! Go back to your nursery rhyme, little girl!
    * And let your betters attend to their business!
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Whack!] [Whack!]
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * And... They're both down, groaning and rolling on the ground, clutching at their card body... nether regions.
  * (Ren) (freaked) 
    * OUCH!
  * Queen of Diamonds 
    * How dare you...
  * [Narrator] 
    * [SMACK!]
  * [Ren] 
    * Broadside of the croquet mallet to the face!
    * Face squishes to the left, ridiculous heels fly up to the right, and she goes down on her backside...
    * Yep, she's out.
  * (Ren) (thoughtful) 
    * Not sure about the "she" though — might be a guy.
  * (Ren) (serious sideglance) 
    * But... \\\ Definitely a queen.
  * [Ren] 
    * After that, it turns into a total madhouse...
    * All of the cards charging us...
    * Annie and I whacking them left, right, up and down.
    * At one point, Mr Pitch trots up and starts slobbering baseballs...
    * Which Annie and I start whacking like golf balls into the attacking mob of cards.
    * Meanwhile passersby have gathered and are cheering us on, while taking bets on just about everything — including the color of the sky at the end of the fight.
    * ... "Pale Rose" seems to be the odds on favorite.
    * Even the Pagoda and Cathedral have sauntered over and joined in — apparently preferring contradictory shades of green.
    * **Transition: Fade to Black**
    * After several rounds (hands?) of this, it's finally over...
    * Number cards, jacks and aces — all laid low... \\\ And kings and queens of all suits surrendering on folded card knees.
  * Annie (victorious) 
    * Yes! I WIN!
    * I mean... WE WIN!!!
    * Ren, you helped too. A little.
  * Ren (annoyed sideglance) 
    * Thanks sooo much.
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and I climb back into the carriage with the help of our driver.
    * Mr Pitch seems to have disappeared at some point.
  * (Ren) (Annoyed) 
    * God-damned petticoat!
  * **Screen: Forest Roadway in Carriage (Fractured)**
  * [Ren] 
    * Cards get up and haggardly file off the roadway...
    * The rest of the crowd disperses...
    * The pagoda and cathedral return to their respective sides of the road...
    * And Annie and I continue on our way in the carriage as the remaining bystanders cheer us goodbye.
    * Oh... \\\ ... and the winner was "Pale Chartreuse".
    * Which, I think, was claimed by the Pagoda.
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Ahhh... Much better!
    * Sooo... You were saying?
  * Ren (thoughtful sideglance) 
    * Okay... Where were we? Oh yeah...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * So... This world is all ephemeral... \\\ Feels real, acts real...
    * But is no more logical, consistent, or lasting than a dream.
    * All of this [I gesture at buildings, trees, people that we're passing]...
    * ... could vanish in a few minutes and be replaced by something else.
  * Annie (realization) 
    * ... Is this what you've looking at so distractedly the last couple of days?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Yep. I was totally clueless at first... \\\ Because nothing made sense.
    * Finally, I realized — that's just the way this place is.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Oh and I can peek into our world from this world. We're going through Hanase district now. Should be at Kitsune Shrine before too long.
  * Annie (freaked smile) 
    * So you're watching two worlds at once?
  * Ren (freaked) 
    * No! That would be crazy!
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * It's more switching back and forth...
    * Like watching videos while farming mobs in a game.
  * Annie (mock annoyance) 
    * Sigh... Such a geek - always with the gaming metaphors!
  * Ren (grinning) 
    * :P
    * Anyway... Back to exposition...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * This fits one of the theories about SH artifacts...
    * That, since they break the natural laws of our world, they come from a place without those natural laws...
    * Which would be this place.
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * Wait, so witches...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Yes, I think their powers come from here. Along with all the other SH artifacts, etc.
    * You said witches get pulled into witches cocoons, i.e. bubbles when they become witches, right?
    * I think the witch briefly becomes a conduit from this world, to our world — thus the bubble.
    * Afterwards, the witch returns to our world, but permanently infused with a part of this world.
    * So, basically they become living SH artifacts.
    * At least... That's my theory for now.
  * Annie (thoughtful sideglance) 
    * Magda said something like that once... \\\ That "Witch powers come from the 'Witch World'."
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * Wow! I sure didn't think that she meant it so literally!
    * I thought it was a metaphor or something.
  * Annie (suspicious) 
    * ... \\\ But the rabbit leading us out of SID HQ... \\\ That sure was convenient...
  * Ren (guilty smile) 
    * Umm yeah... \\\ When I was peeking in, I noticed that the world seemed to... \\\ ... react to my imagination.
    * So, when we arrived here, I concentrated on my favorite books, and on getting out.
  * Annie (shock) 
    * So this whole world is following your imagination?!
  * Ren (guilty smile) 
    * Yeah... maybe.
  * Ren (curious) 
    * Though... \\\ Did you notice anything that fit your imagination?
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * No... \\\ Oh...
  * Annie (embarrassed) 
    * Umm... I thought that our battle suits looked out of place. And that maybe...
    * Some gothic dresses would um...
  * Annie (embarrassed big smile) 
    * ... look super-cute on us!
  * Ren (shadow fake smile) 
    * ...
  * Ren (enraged) 
    * YOU!!! ... \\\ You're the reason I'm wearing a petticoat? \\\ And FRILLS?!
    * AND TOO GOD-DAMNED MANY BUTTONS TO COUNT??
  * Annie (eyes closed smile) 
    * Oops?
  * Annie (smile) 
    * You do look super-cute though!
  * Ren (embarrassed sideglance) 
    * I... I do?
  * Ren (embarrassed) 
    * I mean... \\\ You look really cute too...
  * Annie (smile) 
    * See? So it was totally worth an extra petticoat or two, wasn't it?
  * Ren (whining) 
    * AARRGHHHH!!!



* * *

  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * **Screen: Kitsune Shrine (Fractured)**
  * [Ren] 
    * Another ten minutes and we arrive at the shrine.
    * The mouse driver helps us down again.
    * (Damn you and your petticoats, Annie!)
    * The mouse gets back up in the drivers seat, and...
    * The whole carriage fades away, piece by piece...
    * As they fade away, the cats turn and grin at us...
    * With their grins being the very last thing to disappear...
  * (Ren) (eyes closed fake smile) 
    * ... Naturally.
  * Annie (shadow fake smile) 
    * Not creepy at all. \\\ No. It's fine. \\\ Perfectly normal.
  * [Ren] 
    * As I had hoped, the Shrine is almost identical to its real life equivalent.
    * Some mouse and rabbit people wandering around...
    * And in the shadows of the bamboo... \\\ I see a fox lurking, observing us...
    * There's something a bit odd about it...
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * What am I thinking?? \\\ Everything is odd here!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie and I look around a bit, then find a secluded spot.
    * I peek through, find that the coast is clear...
    * And step across the threshold again, taking Annie with me.
  * **Screen: Kitsune Shrine**
    * Same as before, but w/o fractured effect.
  * Annie (hopeful) [Outfit: Annie's regular battlesuit] 
    * Home? Reality?
  * Ren (big smile) [Outfit: Ren's regular battlesuit] 
    * Yep!
  * Annie (happy) 
    * Yay, no more crazy stuff!
  * Ren (happy) 
    * And no more petticoats, frills, or buttons!
  * [Ren] 
    * I could pull our phones out of the pocket dimension, but first...
    * I lead Annie around looking for something...
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Ah here it is!
  * Annie (surprised smile) 
    * Oh, what a cutie!
  * [Ren] 
    * There, before us, is a kitsune-girl statue... about four feet tall, fox ears, fox tail, yukata, shorts, bare legs, socks, geta sandals.
    * She's nestled in the bamboo, posed peeking around one of them — the elusive guardian of this shrine.
    * She shimmers briefly, gaining color and then looks up at us...
  * Kitsune-Chan (small smile) 
    * Hello Annie-chan, Ren-chan. \\\ Welcome to my shrine.
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Not again!
  * Ren (amused) 
    * ...
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * Ren's books were (obviously, I hope): **Alice in Wonderland** , and **Through the Looking Glass** by Lewis Carroll
  * Since some readers have asked for images of various characters... 
    * The Rabbit: <https://www.storynory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/white-rabbit.jpg>
    * Kitsu-Chan: Pretty much like Izuna from "No Game No Life": <https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/izuna1_9811.jpg>
  * Chapter Title: Like a raven... It is nevar put backwards.




	20. Dessert

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * AEGIS Log 
    * RenBass Routing: 3 PM, Negotiations with SID Director Mariru von Braun; Location: TBA.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * There it is...
    * We're going to have to figure out Aegis' role in this at some point...
    * At best, AEGIS is acting as neutral go-between...
    * At worst, it's the instigator.
    * Although, at least AEGIS is something of a known quantity.
    * We have no idea what Ren is or what she can do.
    * Or Annie for that matter...
  * Aya (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm... So, we can't trust AEGIS' SoulID or SH level readings?
    * Maybe some other identity tests, and our own SH measurements?
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * And I can't go to the Senate about AEGIS, without admitting that I've been lying about RenBass and my control over them.
  * Aya (excited) 
    * I really want them in the lab! Especially Ren!
    * What did her brain look like when she flipped at the end?
  * Aya (excited sideglance) 
    * She copied you somehow. Kinesic analysis confirmed it...
    * Stance, expression, gesture... they were all yours... exactly!
    * And all the biometrics? No signs of lying at all!
    * That's amazing!
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Her and Annie's whole act... It was all a setup to bait me...
  * Mariru (neutral) 
    * But... \\\ She wants to negotiate.
    * She came here to not-so-figuratively smash my face into the table...
    * To make me understand that this _is_ to be a negotiation.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * It's actually...
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * ... Exciting.
  * Aya (interested/excited) 
    * Ohh? \\\ I didn't think you liked that sort of...
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Bash!]
  * Aya (pained) 
    * OWWWW!
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * Not that, you idiot!
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * The challenge!



* * *

  * **Screen: Kitsune Shrine**
  * Kitsune-Chan (small smile) 
    * Hello Annie-chan, Ren-chan. \\\ Welcome to my shrine.
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Not again!
  * Ren (amused) 
    * ... \\\ Annie, This is Kitsune-chan. \\\ AEGIS Kitsune-chan.
    * Remember, when I said that Lady Aegis' statues across the city are all different?
  * Annie (confused) 
    * Huh? ... Aegis?
  * Kitsune-Chan (worried) 
    * Is this not okay, Annie-chan?
  * [Ren] 
    * Aegis Kitsune-chan's voice is high and piping, like a young girl's, and her big eyes blink in innocent worry at Annie's confusion.
  * Annie (confused) 
    * Lady A? Is that you?
  * Kitsune-Chan (smile) 
    * Yes, it is, Annie-chan.
  * Kitsune-chan (serious) 
    * Though this me is usually called "Ae-chan" or "Ae-tan".
  * Ae-chan (frown sideglance) 
    * Although, some of those who call me "Ae-tan" are of... \\\ ... questionable character.
  * Annie (little freaked) 
    * Lady Aegis... "Ae-tan"??
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie probably missed that last bit...
  * Annie (slightly crazed smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (crazed laughter) 
    * OH MY GOD!!! I CAN'T HANDLE IT!!!
    * CUTE....! \\\ SOOOOOO CUTE!!!!
  * Annie (eyes closed big smile) 
    * OHHH... I WANT TO SCRITCH YOUR EARS SOOOO BADDDD!!!
    * AH HA HA HA HA!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan tilts her head a little to the side in confusion and Annie dissolves into further helpless giggles.
  * (Ren) (sigh) 
    * Fortunately no one else is around at the moment...
  * Annie (cuteophiliac smile) 
    * Ren-kami, please, please, please...!
    * Must scritch...
  * Ae-chan (pleading little girl look) 
    * Yes, please Ren-kami!
  * [Ren] 
    * Now she's blinking innocently at me...
    * ... Has she been watching too much anime?
  * (Ren) (worried shadow smile) 
    * Yep, we've completely corrupted the city's defense AI...
  * Ren (sigh) 
    * ... \\\ Sigh. \\\ I've been thinking about it... \\\ But nothing has come to mind.
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * And I know what you probably thought... \\\ But no, Ren-kami didn't do anything.
    * From what I understand, I was more... a catalyst. \\\ To something that was already ready to happen.
    * And Ren-kami barely understands Lady Aegis...
  * Ren (slightly freaked) 
    * She is literally the size of the city! \\\ In some ways, she _is_ the city!
    * _And_ she's a substance H that no one, not even the Senate understands!
    * So, it's not like I have any special knowledge...
  * Ae-chan (cutely curious) 
    * So... This projection is all... my doing?
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Yes, I think so. It's just that Annie and I can see it.
  * Ae-chan (cutely thoughtful) 
    * Ah hmm... \\\ All the input to my core is audio-visual.
    * I don't have any tactile, olfactory or gustatory inputs.
    * So if I added some sensors? Hmm...
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan's tail swishes back and forth, as Annie watches mesmerized...
  * Annie (cuteophiliac smile) 
    * Little fox girl... concentrating so intently...
    * Sooooo cute....
  * Ren (sigh) 
    * She's really got it bad...
  * [Ren] 
    * Watching Ae-chan's fox tail...
    * Fox... \\\ Kitsune Shrine... \\\ Fox? \\\ Odd...
    * So if Lady A is part substance H...
  * Ren (realization) 
    * OH! OH! ... Maybe?
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * Got an idea. I'll be back in a bit.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren vanishes as Annie and Ae-chan look on curiously.
  * Ae-chan (serious) 
    * Annie-chan... \\\ ... \\\ ANNIE! WAKE UP!
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * What? Oh sorry Ae... Lady A.
  * Ae-chan (cutely annoyed) 
    * I saw what happened at SID HQ.
    * What happened after you left?
    * How did you get all the way over here so quickly?
  * Annie (freaked) 
    * Oh. Yeah, like _that's_ going to calm me down!
  * Annie (eyes closed serious) 
    * Okay, I'll tell you...
    * First there was a rabbit... \\\ with a waistcoat... \\\ and a pocket watch...
  * Ae-chan (cutely dubious) 
    * ...
  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * So then I whacked the Queen right upside the head, and...
    * BOOM! DOWN SHE WENT! \\\ HA HA HA HA!!!
  * Ae-chan (cutely very dubious) 
    * ... [Twitch], [Twitch]
  * Annie (curious) 
    * Are you twitching your ears, Ae-tan?
  * Annie (eyes closed smile) 
    * I'm going to lose it again if you keep doing that!
  * Ae-chan (baffled) 
    * Twitch? I'm not [hee] doing [hee, hee] that.
    * What's going... [hee, hee, hee, hee] on??
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ae-chan, suddenly starts twisting from side to side, with little bits of laughter escaping...
    * A few seconds later and she's rolling on the floor giggling helplessly.
  * Annie (slightly crazed worry) 
    * Are you okay, Ae... Lady A?
  * Ae-chan (cutely baffled) 
    * Yes [hee, hee]. I just can't [hee, hee, hee] control myself!
  * (Annie) (slightly crazed smile) 
    * Did Ren turn invisible and is now stalker-tickling Ae-tan??
    * ... I want to do it too!!!
  * [Narrator] 
    * Suddenly the "attack" ends and Ae-chan sits up and begins to recover.
    * A small pop... And Ren returns with a big smile — and slightly rumpled clothes and hair.
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * Okay, got something! \\\ But umm...
  * Ren (thoughtful sideglance) 
    * ... Better wait to try it.
  * [Narrator] 
    * Annie and Ae-chan look at Ren suspiciously as she stuffs something into her backpack.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Lunchtime?
  * Ae-chan (little girl pleading) 
    * There's an okonomiyaki stand nearby. The owner is a regular at the shrine!
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Sure! Sounds great!
  * (Ren) (surprise) 
    * Wow! Cuteophilia beats pizza cravings! \\\ That's impressive!



* * *

  * **Transition: Fade to Black**
  * [Ren] 
    * We grab some okonomiyaki from the stand and eat it at some tables just outside the shrine's entrance.
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Oh, Japanese pizza!
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan starts to correct Annie, but I shake my head... \\\ Let Annie enjoy her delusion...
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * Exactly! Now about that other world...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * It's not real... Well, what we saw was not real. It was more like visiting a dream.
    * Once it looked like Ultimate Fantasy. Another time it was pirates at sea.
    * Other times, it was a huge collage of images, videos, sounds, spread to the horizon like a cityscape.
    * And other times... It was a formless gray land and skyscape with random specs and lights floating around in it.
    * I think that was maybe the closest to its real nature.
  * Annie (surprised) 
    * ... That last... sounded like the Rift... \\\ But where we went didn't seem like the Rift at all. \\\ Thankfully!
  * Ren (curious) 
    * What is the Rift anyway? I only saw it that one time.
  * Annie (neutral) 
    * Okay, this is what I heard from my mentor, Magda...
    * The Rift of Correspondence... \\\ It's the Great Archive.
    * Something like a library... \\\ But for supernatural objects and people... \\\ Including witches.
    * Its part of the cost of being a witch...
    * If you're a witch, then you _will_ be recorded in the Rift.
    * And once recorded in the Rift, a copy of you can be summoned from it.
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * Wait, so when I use your ultimate?
  * Annie (serious) 
    * Yep. But only rare, powerful individuals can summon witches.
    * And you don't summon the original. You summon a copy. Or "Phantom". Or "Echo".
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ... \\\ But you were actually _in_ the Rift, right?
  * Annie (serious) 
    * That's not supposed to happen. \\\ I think... something broke...
    * Like the Rift thought I was just an echo returning home, and tried to recycle me...
    * But I was still alive, so it couldn't. So, I guess I...
  * Ren (shadow fake smile) 
    * Got stuck in its throat.
  * Ae-chan (sad worry) 
    * Oh, Annie-chan...
  * Ren (worried) 
    * ...
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * WELL THAT FIGURES! \\\ NO MERE RIFT OF CORRESPONDENCE IS GOING TO EAT _MY_ ANNIE!!!
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * HA HA HA! \\\ Thanks Rennie!
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie reaches over and snatches my okonomiyaki, so I snatch one of hers in retaliation.
    * That much time without human contact... \\\ I'm glad I can give it to her...
    * Ae-chan looks on a bit confused, but sees that Annie is feeling better, and cuts loose with a big cute smile.
    * Which just completely melts Annie.
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * What Magda called the "Witch World" matches the other world...
    * But Magda didn't equate the Witch World with the Rift...?
  * Annie (serious) 
    * No... I don't think so. \\\ I really think they're different things...
    * But that gray fog description... \\\ That definitely seems similar.
  * Ren (thoughtful) 
    * Hmm... Okay... \\\ ... I don't think Ren-kami knows how to reach the Rift.
    * When I found you, I was "homing in" on you through the bat.
    * And since you're not there anymore, that door is closed.
    * How about this Magda? Can we ask her?
  * Annie (sad) 
    * She was going to be at the game at Light of Freedom...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Ah. I see.
  * [Ren] 
    * Another uncomfortable pause... \\\ I shouldn't have asked...
  * Ae-chan (big eyes innocent) 
    * Snneeeakkkk....
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan slowly reaches over, steals a ghostly copy of Annie's okonomiyaki, and begins munching it...
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * AH HAH HAH HA! \\\ SO CUTE!!!
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * _Totally_ corrupted her with anime...
  * [Ren] 
    * Lunch goes on a bit, with Ae-chan throwing out ideas about "the collective unconscious", "collective id", "platonic ideals", etc. but we don't resolve anything.
    * After a while the conversation drifts to Anzu...
  * Annie (curious) 
    * So why is Anzu such a good liar? I mean, I've met some good liars before, but... Whooa Boy!
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Anzu is a hacker... \\\ An all around hacker. It's not just breaking into servers.
    * There's physical hacking too... breaking into buildings and other places...
    * That's probably what her wrench and crowbar were used for.
  * Annie (excited) 
    * Oh right! And the zip line.... \\\ She said she had been heading there to check on it and tighten it up.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Yep! Breaking, entering, urban exploring! All that sort of fun!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * But... There's also social engineering, tricking people into giving you access to accounts, etc.
    * And social engineering is basically... \\\ Lying... \\\ Well... And reading and manipulating people.
    * And... Just like your baseball skills got upgraded when you became a witch, so did her lying skills.
  * Ae-chan (neutral) 
    * Her hacking skills got upgraded too...
    * She's gone from minor annoyance to worthwhile challenge...
  * Ae-chan (predatory smile) 
    * She's been trying to break into my subsystems for the last six hours...
    * I've been diverting her into shota and yuri stashes...
    * [Hee hee hee hee hee.]
  * Annie (eyes closed big eyes) 
    * That's not very cute, Ae-tan! \\\ But it is...
  * Ren (big laugh) 
    * FUNNY AS HELL!
  * Annie (big laugh) 
    * HA HA HA HA HA!



* * *

  * **Screen: Black**
  * [Ren] 
    * Finally... The time has arrived...
  * **Screen: Temple Tea Room**
  * [Ren] 
    * We're back at the temple, where Lady Aegis has reserved a ceremonial tea room for us.
    * Mariru arrived with a guard and driver. The guard is waiting outside with Annie.
    * Mariru and I are sitting across from each other, Ae-chan is sitting next to me.
  * (Ren) (M n-smile) 
    * Mariru has been sizing me up since she arrived.
    * I'm in Mariru mode, of course.
  * (Ae-chan) (serious) 
    * ...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Well... This is amusing... \\\ ... And should save us some time.
    * Let's just jump straight to it... \\\ What do you want?
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * I want... \\\ To learn more about substance H and how it interacts with the world.
    * I don't just mean in a technical sense, but in a political and economic sense as well...
    * What do we do with it? How does that impact us, our world, our economy, etc.?
  * Mariru (smirk) 
    * You want a college education?
  * Ren (neutral) 
    * No... I want no time wasted. \\\ Focused. Practical. \\\ On the ground reality.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Hmmm... Interesting.
    * And you think SID would be a good place to get that?
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * For a practical education yes.
    * And your turn... \\\ What do you want?
  * Mariru (open smile) 
    * You. Under my control.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * But I'm not going to get that, am I?
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * ... \\\ I want to use you on missions.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Just your ability to walk into STFs alone would make your extremely useful.
    * And the skills you showed walking into SID, completely playing me, then walking out?
    * And copying me... \\\ Is this negotiation why you did it?
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * In part... yes. \\\ And for all the times ahead. \\\This is... useful.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * I'm curious as to the limits.
  * Ren (M amused) 
    * I imagine. \\\ I'm sure they'll be clear in time.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * And you just told me that there _are_ limits.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Exactly. Saving time by saying things without saying them.
    * And cutting to the point...
  * Ren (serious) 
    * We have the fundamentals of deal.
    * I work with you, run missions.
    * In exchange, you provide information, education.
    * And remuneration, of course.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * You would be my employee...
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Nominally. In reality, I'll work _with_ you, not _for_ you.
    * But... That's under the table.
    * Above the table, I'll be your agent, your employee.
    * I'll support that. \\\ Just don't push it too hard.
  * Mariru (M n-smile) 
    * And Annie?
  * Ren (n-smile) 
    * She's with me. Same deal.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Remuneration... \\\ If we go with the pretense of you being my agent, then you'll receive pay at the standard starting agent level.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * That's fine. But... \\\ We expect to be paid for our work these last few days.
    * [I name a sizable figure.]
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * That must be your starting number...
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * It is. In another minute, that number goes up by 20%. And a minute after that, another 20%. Etc.
    * It's trivial compared to the amount of money we've saved the city.
    * This is not the thing to argue over, Mariru.
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * Hah, hah, very well.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Yes, I will pay that amount... \\\ If we reach a deal here.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Agreed. Now, what else?
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * We'll want a debriefing, and physical and psychological exams.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Exams: no. Or rather... \\\ On a case by case basis, and only under our conditions.
    * But for now, assume that we'll say "No" to every exam request.
    * As for debriefing... \\\ Let's view it as "information sharing" instead...
    * We each give, we each hold back.
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * ... \\\ I'm wondering whether I have anything to teach you at all.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * If we have a deal, I may want to show you off almost immediately. \\\ Higher authorities are getting annoying.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * The Senate? As I said, we'll support the fiction. \\\ Tomorrow? If you need us sooner, then call.
    * Though you do already have video of us at SID.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * ...
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * So, do we have a deal?
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * ... \\\ Yes. \\\ Come in tomorrow at 9 AM.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Very well. A pleasure doing business, Mariru.
  * Mariru (curious) 
    * ... \\\ A question before I go...
    * Who are you?
  * Ren (amused) 
    * I'm PRen. And Ren.
  * Ren (n-smile) 
    * You know who I was. You've know what I've done.
    * I'm someone who will defend this city. And AEGIS knows that.
  * Ae-chan (big smile) 
    * Yep!
  * Ren (amused) 
    * I've just gone through a bit of a... growth spurt.
  * Ren (n-smile) 
    * As for _what_ I am... \\\ I'm a person with some useful abilities...
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * "Growth spurt"... \\\ If you really are PRen... \\\ ... then that's quite the understatement.
    * And you still say that you don't know what happened, how you became this way?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * No. I think we both suspect the Ross Island Goblet, but I truly don't remember.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * We have some excellent tools for recovering lost memories at SID...
  * Ren (n-smile) 
    * I think I'll have to pass on that.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Ah well...
    * I'll see you tomorrow then.
  * **Screen: Kitsune Temple**
  * [Ren] 
    * Mariru and I stand up, replace our shoes, and exit the ceremonial room.
    * As she and her guard begin to leave the temple...
  * Ren (n-smile) 
    * Ah, one more thing...



* * *

  * **Screen: Senate Office Dr. C#**
    * Impressive, wood paneled office.
  * Dr. C# (n-smile) [unblurred Dr. C#, wearing suit, but minus hat] 
    * Ah, captain... \\\ And company!
    * Such a mysterious, yet insistent message...
    * You have something to report?
  * Capt. Hirono (serious) 
    * Yes sir, about the final cluster battle...
  * Guard Erin (excited smile) 
    * It was awesome!
  * Guard Elly (eyes closed big smile) 
    * Totally kick ass!
  * Guard Erin (excited) 
    * We want to do it again!!!
  * Lt. Hirono (exasperated) 
    * Girls... Quit interrupting. Let the Captain speak.
  * Guard Elly (big smile) 
    * Oops, sorry!
  * Guard Erin (slightly apologetic smile) 
    * Our bad!
  * Capt. Hirono (slightly embarrassed) 
    * [Sigh.] You two...
  * Dr C# (n-smile) 
    * (This is going to be interesting...)
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * Mariru-Ren Expressions 
    * When Ren is in Mariru mode, Ren's expressions are pretty much identical to Mariru's expressions
    * Hence "M n-smile" is a Mariru style neutral smile.
  * Japanese References 
    * I hope I get these right. Corrections are appreciated.
    * E.g. I'm not sure to what degree okonomiyaki might actually be regarded as "Japanese pizza".
    * And I think that eating inside the shrine would be a no-no, but that eating at food tables just outside the shrine would be okay.
  * Reference Pictures 
    * Shrine: <https://i1.wp.com/www.kyotodreamtrips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/nonomiya-021.jpg>
    * Negotiations Room: <https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/82/2c/1c822c7d15308cbab4a75a9d4228ab84.jpg>
    * C# Office: <https://i.pinimg.com/originals/15/b0/be/15b0be479bd1b3500bc31a2ca4453a24.jpg>




	21. Nightcap

  * **Screen: Kitsune Temple**
  * [Narrator] 
    * It's late afternoon, an hour after the meeting with Mariru ended...
  * (Ae-chan) (cutely worried) 
    * I hope they come back soon... \\\ It worries me having them out of my sight.
  * [Narrator] 
    * [Pop! Pop!] Ren and Annie reappear in a secluded corner of the shrine.
  * Ae-chan (big smile) 
    * Welcome home! How was it?
  * Annie (triumphant) 
    * Australia vs England, 1st Test, Kennington Oval, 1882
    * CRUSHED THEM!!!
    * AH HAH HAH HAH HAH!
  * Ren (sigh) 
    * Baseball not enough for this girl...
    * We had to see an old-time cricket match too...
  * Ren (smile) 
    * It was actually pretty cool...
  * Ren (frown sideglance) 
    * Aside from the Victorian dresses...
    * What is it with you and big fluffy dresses anyways?
  * Annie (eyes closed smile) 
    * Making up for my tomboy days?
  * Ren (dubious) 
    * ... \\\ Your yelling wasn't very ladylike though...
  * [Ren] 
    * I continue to tease Annie, but she just laughs it off.
    * After a bit, Ae-chan chips in...
  * Ae-chan (cutely serious) 
    * The SID drones are gone now...
    * What was it you wanted to show me, Ren-chan?
  * Ren (smile) 
    * Let's go inside the tea-room...
  * **Screen: Temple Tea Room**
  * [Ren] 
    * Once inside we sit down around the table, and I pull out the item that I acquired earlier...
  * **Image: Fox Miniature Figure**
    * A tiny fox, a couple of inches high, carved in orange citrine crystal, and perched in an equally miniature cluster of jade bamboo.
  * [Ren] 
    * This is what I was waiting for...
    * Figured it was best done at Kitsune shrine, near Ae-chan's statue.
    * Our side trip to the other world was just biding time waiting for the drones to leave.
  * Annie (excited) 
    * Oh, that's beautiful! \\\ Wait, is that a substance H?
  * Ae-chan (fascinated) 
    * Ohhh....
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie is immediately interested, but Ae-chan is absolutely fascinated, staring intently at the little figurine.
  * Ren (serious) 
    * The first time we were in the otherworld, there was a Kitsune shrine there...
  * Annie (excited) 
    * Oh! And this last time, there was a statue nearby... "The Fox Triumphant"
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Yes... Although that place is ephemeral, changing — some aspects are more persistent...
    * On the first trip, I noticed a fox guarding the shrine that seemed oddly familiar...
    * So when I went back by myself, I sought it out...
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * And played with it...
    * It seemed to like it quite a bit, and at the end...
  * Ren (embarrassed smile) 
    * It umm... licked me, and then... \\\ Turned into this...
  * Annie (smug smile) 
    * You scritched its ears, and tickled it, didn't you?
    * Ae-tan was acting like someone was doing that to her!
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Oh! Really? \\\ That confirms it!
  * Ren (serious) 
    * This... I think this belongs to Ae-chan...
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan continues to stare at the figurine, her tail twitching slowly.
  * Ae-chan (fascinated) 
    * It's like... \\\ I'm looking at myself...
  * Ae-chan (worried) 
    * Is it... safe, Ren-chan?
  * Ren (serious) 
    * Yes, I think so... For you...
    * Hard to explain... \\\ But... its vibrations seem to match yours.
  * [Ren] 
    * I hold out the statue to Ae-chan, and she slowly reaches to it...
    * As her fingers overlap it, the orange fox begins to pulse and glow, then melts into an orange ball of light...
    * The ball of light floats for a second, then seeps into and is absorbed by Ae-chan.
    * It's a lot like what happened when those balls of energy went into Elly and Eerie.
  * Annie (worried) 
    * Ae-tan... Lady A... Are you okay?
  * Ae-chan (surprised) 
    * Is this...
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan rubs her hands together with a surprised look on her face, then reaches up and tweaks her ears, which twitch in return.
  * Annie (excited) 
    * Ohh... Ae-tan, can you feel that!?
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan focuses on Annie, hops over, touches Annie's face...
  * Annie (surprised/pleased) 
    * Hey! I felt that!
  * Ren (big smile) 
    * ...
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan continues touching Annie, then sniffs her several times as Annie starts giggling helplessly...
    * Then she tops it off by by... \\\ Licking Annie's face repeatedly.
  * (Ren) (eyes closed shadow smile) 
    * Good thing it's Ae-chan, not Lady Aegis...
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * Ah hah hah hah!
  * Annie (vengeance) 
    * Right.... Scritching time!
  * **Screen: Temple Tea Room: Annie tickling a giggling Ae-chan, while Ren watches amused**
  * [Ren] 
    * This goes on for a while...



* * *

  * **Screen: SID Control**
  * Dr. C# (n-smile) [video] 
    * It's been an interesting conversation, Dr. von Braun.
    * Though I really think you might have mentioned this sooner.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * I thought that you would prefer to hear it from your officers directly.
    * And things have been rather hectic here... \\\ My two cute little monsters...
    * They're as much of a handful as I hear those two shield guards are.
  * Dr. C# (amused) 
    * Oh, I hope not Dr. von Braun! Those two are getting to be quite infamous in MD!
  * Dr. C# (n-smile) 
    * ... \\\ I'll expect to hear from you in a few days in regards to joint training.
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing that.
    * I'll contact you soon.
  * [Narrator] 
    * The video call ends, and Mariru is left alone — aside from the white haired scientist.
  * Mariru (frown) 
    * That kid... Now we're stuck sharing those two with MD.
    * She effectively has two sponsors now — us and MD. \\\ Three, if you count AEGIS.
    * So, she can play us off each other.
    * And she set the trap of informing MD...
    * And then told me about it — _after_ we reached a deal.
    * "Here's the trap I set... That would have completely nailed you, if I had not told you about it."
  * Mariru (amused) 
    * She even mocked me by using my "One more thing..." ploy.
  * Mariru (serious) 
    * Not sure if I want to applaud her... Or kill her.
    * ... You have something new, Aya?
  * Aya (thoughtful sideglance) 
    * Tissue traps... \\\ We have them in the limo and interrogation rooms.
    * They're supposed to catch hair, small skin samples etc.
    * Then we do DNA analysis, etc.
  * Aya (excited) 
    * But... The tissue traps for Annie hardly yielded anything.
    * We did get _some_ material, but none of it is living tissue...
    * It just breaks down into basic chemicals whenever we try something.
    * So, we're limited to spectrometer analysis.
  * Mariru (interested) 
    * And Ren?
  * Aya (excited) 
    * Nothing! Just skin oils and a few chemicals!
    * One of the hidden cameras even recorded a strand of hair turning into dust as soon it broke from her scalp!
  * Aya (excited sideglance) 
    * Is she even human?
    * Maybe vivisection?
  * Mariru (sigh) 
    * I don't think she'll agree to that.



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bathing Pool**
    * Big bathing pool made up like a hot spring.
  * [Ren] 
    * I spent the day reviewing info on SID, etc. with Lady Aegis.
    * Annie sat in for much of that, then went to review general history with Ae-chan.
    * (I should have guessed that Lady A can multiplex...)
    * But now...
    * There's a big bathing pool behind the Ryokan.
    * It was too busy to use last night.
    * Tonight, it's just us... \\\ Me, Annie, Lady Aegis, and Ae-chan...
  * Ren (eyes closed n-smile) [nude, steam & water censored] 
    * Ahh... Hmm... Nice...
  * Annie (relaxed) [nude, steam & water censored] 
    * Yesss... Soooo warm.
  * Lady Aegis (relaxed) [nude, ghostly, up to her chest in water] 
    * This is... relaxing... is the right word?
    * My processes seem to be slowing down a bit...
  * Ae-chan (excited) [ghostly, somewhat censored] 
    * Whee! Whee!
  * [Ren] 
    * Ae-chan is running around outside the pool, showing fox like energy and agility.
    * And... Is Lady A simulating the heat and water for herself, and then feeling that?
    * ... Something to ask later.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * ... \\\ I'm waiting Annie.
  * Annie (suspicious) 
    * Oh. It's you... \\\ ... \\\ You're waiting? What for?
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * For my name of course. You named all of the rest of us.
    * I'm a bit disappointed that you haven't named me already.
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie wades over and stands in front of me, as Lady Aegis and Ae-chan watch from the sides.
    * She's still suspicious of me. ... \\\ I understand why.
  * Annie (suspicious) 
    * You want me to name you?
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Yes, please.
  * Annie (suspicious) 
    * ... \\\ And what would you do if you found me in the Rift?
  * **Screen: Fluctuating Grays With Door Shaped Portal**
  * [Narrator] 
    * A world of boiling grays... A blue haired, twin tailed girl held captive in it...
    * A white clad hand reaches in and grasps the girl's hand...
  * ??? (frown) [Mariru in her scientist outfit] 
    * She's coming with me.
  * Annie (frightened) 
    * ...
  * ??? (frown) 
    * If you don't give her to me immediately...
    * I will destroy you...
    * I will turn you into dust...
  * ??? (sinister smile) 
    * I will turn this entire realm to ash...
  * [Narrator] 
    * The clinging fog recoils at the woman's cold, determined threats...
    * The blue haired girl flies forward through the portal and into the woman's arms...
  * **Screen: Scientist "Mariru" and Annie in Alley; "Mariru" hugging Annie protectively; Portal gone**
  * ??? (offscreen) 
    * Annie. It's okay. You're safe now.
    * Welcome home.
  * **Screen: Ryokan Bathing Pool**
  * Annie (smile) 
    * Ah... You would... \\\ You're not her, then.
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * ...
  * Annie (thoughtful) 
    * "Reniru?"
  * Ren (shock) 
    * Gack!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * No, I guess not...
  * Annie (serious) 
    * "Mariren?" \\\ Seems the most obvious.
  * Annie (smile) 
    * No... \\\ "Marren."
    * Yes... That's it... Marren.
  * Ren (surprised) 
    * Oh!
  * Ren (light blush eyes closed smile) 
    * I like it... \\\ Thank you Annie.
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie leans forward and kisses me on the forehead...
  * (Ren) (light blush eyes closed smile) 
    * And now... I'm home too.
  * [Ren] 
    * But... Heh, heh...
    * I still have to have _some_ fun...
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Stay right there, Annie...
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * Here? Right in front of you?
  * Ren (M n-smile) 
    * Yes. Perfect...
    * You know who would enjoy this moment?
  * [Ren] 
    * And I fade into the background...
  * Annie (puzzled) 
    * Who?
  * Ren (puzzled) 
    * Huh? What was that about?
  * Annie (amused) 
    * Oh... I see...
    * Hello, Ren-kun!
  * Ren (shocked) 
    * Ann... ANNIE??
  * [Ren] 
    * I can't... \\\ Can't look away... \\\ Can't blink...
    * Annie is right in front of me, leaning over me... completely nude.
    * Her lithe body... lightly blushed from the heat of the bath...
    * Small beads of water dripping off her skin, face, hair...
    * Her light musk wafts over me...
  * Ren (blush shocked) 
    * Oh... Wow... \\\ Dammnnnn....
    * (I just cannot... STOP STARING!! WOW!!!)
    * (And my body is doing _something_... \\\ Ohh this is _not_ good!)
  * [Ren] 
    * I usually have _some_ mix of Ren-ko, Rennie or even Renzu to help me deal with this sort of thing.
    * But now, Marren and the rest... \\\ they've _all_ retreated into the background and are snickering at me.
    * ... Still unable to close my eyes...
    * Desperately, I turn to the side...
    * Only to find Lady Aegis also totally nude and looking on curiously...
    * Other side... Ae-chan totally nude as well...
    * Ae-chan suddenly breaks into a full body shake like a dog trying to throw the water off its fur....
  * Ren (eyes closed deep blush fake smile) 
    * AAARRGHHHH!!!
    * YOU! ... YOU!! ... WITCHES!!!
  * Annie (laughing) 
    * HA HAH HAH HAH!
  * [Ren] 
    * Lady Aegis and Ae-chan join in the giggling as I finally manage to close my eyes...



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom (Night)**
  * Annie (sleeping) [nightwear] 
    * Zzzzz...
  * Ren (sleeping) [nightwear] 
    * Snort... Zzzzz
  * Lady Aegis (sympathetic) [usual dress] 
    * Poor Ren-kun... \\\ The girls really knocked him for a loop...
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * But... Ren seems happy now... \\\ The occasional snickering gives it away...
  * Lady Aegis (serious) 
    * ... \\\ The Question... \\\ What am I? \\\ Who Am I?
    * Neither the Senate nor I have ever been able to really answer that.
  * Lady Aegis (smile) 
    * Ren... \\\ She defines herself by what she chooses to do...
    * Annie, is much the same, I think...
    * ... \\\ Maybe that's the best answer...
  * Lady Aegis (serious) 
    * ... \\\ I will protect all of my children...
    * But these two in particular...
  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom (Night), Annie and Ren sleeping**
    * Annie and Ren curled up, next to, and facing each other, hands overlapping, Lady Aegis watching over them.
  * Lady Aegis (offscreen) 
    * I will watch over them.
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * SID Drones: Mariru deployed a couple of drones to watch over the negotiation and catch where Ren and Annie went afterwards. 
    * But Ren & Annie just hid out in the other world, waiting for SID drones to go away.
  * Australia Vs England, 1st Test, Kennington Oval, 1882 
    * This is roughly what Annie and Ren saw. (Or more accurately, saw an other-world re-enactment of.)
    * <https://www.thesportster.com/entertainment/top-10-greatest-cricket-matches-in-history/>
    * Something like this: <https://www.cricketcountry.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/3321572.jpg>
    * Annie's forebears are from Australia, and she's a nut about cricket as well as baseball.
  * Marren, Annie, Rift 
    * What we see is Marren's determination and choice. Annie doesn't see this directly — but she does grasp that Marren would save her, just as Annie earlier knew that all the other Ren's would save her.
    * Again, this is because their connection is more at the subconscious, rather than conscious level.




	22. Aftershocks

  * **Note: There are two versions of this chapter.**
    * This is the milder (but still spicy version).
    * The more mature version can be found at [WitchStorm Extra 02-22 Aftershocks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25830199)
    * The "more mature" version is still fairly lightweight, just more explicit than this version.
  * **Screen: SID Interrogation Room**
  * [Ren] 
    * Pinned against the wall, Mariru looms over me...
    * One hand on the wall by my head, the other grasping my chin...
  * Mariru (n-smile) [SID Director outfit] 
    * Well, this is going to be fun...
  * Ren (blush freaked) [Battlesuit] 
    * What are you trying...
  * Mariru (smirk) 
    * There is no try. Only "do".
  * [Ren] 
    * She leans down, bringing my face, my lips to her own... and kisses me...
    * Not gently. \\\ Mariru's tongue is immediately thrusting in, exploring my mouth...
    * The kiss goes on... \\\ The world seems to fade out around me...
    * Nothing but Mariru's face in front of me, her lips on mine, her body pressing against me...
    * I can't do anything but squirm slowly, helplessly, against the wall under the assault...
  * (Ren) (blushed angry) 
    * NO! This is not the way it's supposed to go!
    * I push her away, then reach out, grab her by her left arm... \\\ And rotate and slam her against the wall.
  * [Ren] 
    * I thought that that would stun her, but no... \\\ She's just looking... excited?
    * I grasp her behind the neck, look her in the eyes... \\\ ...again, she's just looking excited... expectant.
    * I tilt my head and kiss her, my tongue immediately piercing her mouth...
    * But she hardly resists, and soon her tongue is wrapping around mine.
    * I feel her hand, now behind my neck, as mine is behind hers, each of us forcing the other closer, guiding each other...
    * Mariru's nylon clad leg has thrust between my bare thighs, and I'm riding it, sliding up and down it...
  * [Ren] 
    * Suddenly... a door slams open...
  * Annie (blush angry) [blue battlesuit] 
    * REN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??
  * [Ren] 
    * OH SHIT!!!
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * Annie! I... I...
  * Annie (blush irate) 
    * I DEMAND THAT YOU DO ME FIRST!!!
  * Ren (embarrassed apologetic) 
    * ... \\\ RIGHT! SORRY ANNIE!
  * Mariru (blush frown) 
    * Damn twin tails ruining my fun...
  * [Ren] 
    * But I ignore Mariru's grumblings...
  * Ren (blush aroused) 
    * Annie... I didn't know that...
  * Annie (blush sideglance) 
    * Just... Hurry it up, will you...
  * [Ren] 
    * I begin to advance on Annie, only be to interrupted by yet another arrival...
  * Aya (apologetic) [usual outfit] 
    * Sorry Mariru, she got away...
  * Aya (blush excited) 
    * Well, well! What do we have here?
  * Annie (blush annoyed) 
    * Ren! What are you making me wai...
  * Annie (blush surprised) 
    * Ummphh...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie's complaint is silenced as I cover her mouth with my own...
    * No tongue yet... \\\ ...time slows down as Annie melts into me...
  * Mariru (disappointed smirk) 
    * Awww... My pet found someone else to play with!
  * Mariru (lusty smirk) 
    * Fine... Aya... \\\ Come over here and get to work!
  * Aya (aroused excited) 
    * YESSS!!! YES MISTRESS!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Again my attention lapsed...
    * Annie lightly slaps me to get my attention again...
    * Then begins caressing my face as she resumes our kiss..
    * I just... get lost in her face... her hair... her scent... her body grinding against mine...
    * ... time passes...
    * Vaguely after a while I hear...
  * Mariru (lusty n-smile) 
    * Now Aya, onto that table!
  * Aya (aroused excited) 
    * OH YES! NOW, I'M GOING TO GET IT!!!
  * [Ren] 
    * Out of the corner of my eye, I see...
    * Aya gleefully leaning over the interrogation table, getting ready for her mistress...
  * Mariru (n-smile) 
    * Now where did I put those handcuffs and that baton?
  * Aya (blush excited) 
    * Oh! Oh! Handcuffs in my lab coat! Right pocket!
  * Ren (M n-smirk) 
    * Oh... Umm... And the baton is in the corner behind you...
  * Mariru (lusty smirk) 
    * That's what I like about you Aya... Always prepared!
    * And Ren... \\\ You'll get yours... later!
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * ...
  * Annie (blush annoyed) 
    * REN!! AGAIN??
    * PAY ATTENTION TO ME! NOT THAT OLD HAG!!
  * Ren (blush apologetic) 
    * Oops! Sorry Annie!
  * [Ren] 
    * I return my attention fully to Annie... \\\ Only now...
    * I move my mouth down...
  * Annie (blush aroused) 
    * Ohh... Aaaahh... Oohhhhhhh!!!
    * Yesss, Ren... But...
  * [Ren] 
    * Then she pushes me back...
  * Annie (aroused smirk) 
    * That's good, Ren, but...
    * Let me show you how to do it right...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie grabs me by the shoulders, and flips us around, reversing our positions, driving me against the wall...
  * Ren (aroused surprised) 
    * (Why does this keep happening to me??)
    * Ohhh.... That's... Aaaahhh...
  * [Ren] 
    * And now, it's _my_ complaint that ends quickly as Annie begins working one me...
    * Repeating my earlier actions... \\\ ... but ohhh, sooo much more skillfully...
  * Ren (aroused shocked) 
    * Oh... Oh god! \\\ Don't... \\\ Don't stop!
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * Stop? You want me to stop?
  * Ren (aroused worried) 
    * Noooo!
  * Annie (teasing) 
    * Maybe I should just move on...?
  * Ren (aroused worried) 
    * Move on??
  * [Ren] 
    * Pinned against the wall, I can only watch as Annie reaches down...
  * Ren (aroused shocked) 
    * (Oh GOD! ... \\\ What is she doing?!)
    * Uhhhhhhh...
  * [Ren] 
    * I begin to lose it from the new sensations assailing me...
    * Meanwhile Annie is pushing harder and harder, knocking me against the wall repeatedly...
    * The force of our enhanced bodies banging against it is too much for the weak structure, and suddenly...
    * The wall gives way and the two of us spill into the space beyond...
  * **Screen: Ryokan Bathing Pool**
  * [Ren] 
    * The ryokan bathing pool??
  * Ren (confused) 
    * How did we get here?
  * [Ren] 
    * I hear some low voices... \\\ see two figures looming in the steam...
  * Ren (blush worried) 
    * Is there someone else here?
  * Capt. Enzo (blush smile) [steam censored nude] 
    * Ren-chan! What are you doing here?
    * We were a bit busy...
  * Lt. Hirono (blush welcome smile) [steam censored nude] 
    * But... \\\ We can definitely accommodate you!
  * Annie (blush aroused) 
    * Ohhh!!! ... Captain! .. Lieutenant! \\\ And both so... Ready!
  * (Ren) (blush freaked) 
    * Oh shit! \\\ They're both huge!
    * That is _not_ what I want to see!!!
  * (Ren) (blush aroused) 
    * So... _Why_ can't I look away??
    * Oh, god... What is _this_ feeling?!...



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom (Night)**
  * Ren (blush freaked) [nightwear] 
    * ... \\\ Just a dream?
  * (Ren) (blush eyes closed freaked) 
    * Fuck!
    * Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!!!
  * (Ren) (blush eyes closed worried) 
    * Aarrghhh!!!
    * I can't ignore it anymore...
    * First, Mariru at SID... \\\ Then Marren and Annie at the bathing pool...
    * And having four girls in my head... \\\ My mind is going in crazy directions...
  * Ren (eyes open freaked) 
    * And I'm just so... so... \\\ ...horny. \\\ Like CRAZY horny!
    * There's no way I'm getting back to sleep!
  * Ren (blush sideglance worry) 
    * ... \\\ At least Annie's still asleep... \\\ I'll use the bathroom...
  * **Screen: Ryokan Bathroom**
  * [Ren] 
    * In the bathroom, I takes some deep breaths to calm down, then...
    * I peel off my nightshirt and panties...
  * (Ren) (blush serious) [censored nude] 
    * I look in the mirror... \\\ _Really_ look for the first time in days...
    * There's something that I've been avoiding thinking about...
    * I mean... \\\ Mariru's tits are amazing... \\\ And Annie's are too... at the opposite end of the scale...
  * (Ren) (blush sideglance) 
    * But if I had to pick the _perfect_ tits... \\\ I would pick...
  * (Ren) (blush aroused looking down) 
    * ... _these._
  * [Ren] 
    * In fact my entire body...
  * (Ren) (blush aroused) 
    * Beautiful face... long, straight hair... curvy torso... long legs... perfect, egg-shaped ass...
    * There's absolutely _nothing_ I would change.
  * (Ren) (blush sideglance) 
    * I mean... \\\ Did I turn into my perfect girl???
  * (Ren) (blush freaked) 
    * _What was I thinking??_
  * [Ren] 
    * ... \\\ I can't put it off any longer...
    * I begin exploring my new body...
  * (Ren) (blush embarrassed) 
    * I still miss my Mr. D... but... \\\ ... but this isn't bad.
  * [Ren] 
    * ... I move to the bath, and keep experimenting...
    * ... \\\ ... \\\ But...
  * (Ren) (blush frustrated) [nude lying back in bath] 
    * But something isn't working...
    * It's like the engine is trying to start... \\\ But it just won't quite turn over..
  * [Ren] 
    * It's really driving me nuts!
  * Lady Aegis (smile) [yukata] 
    * Need some help Ren-chan?
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * YAAAHHHHHH!!!
    * NO!!
  * Ren (deep blush sideglance left) 
    * ...
  * Ren (deep blush sideglance right) 
    * ...
  * Ren (blush eyes closed) 
    * I mean... \\\ Just tell me what to do...
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * Don't actually touch anything!
  * Lady Aegis (eyes closed smile) 
    * Of course, dear.
  * Lady Aegis (thoughtful) 
    * Searching... searching... \\\ 432,753 videos meet initial search...
    * Oh, this one looks useful...
    * "How to make your kitty purr..."
  * Ren (deep blush freaked) 
    * Oo... Okay...



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bathroom**
  * Ren (blush sated smile) [nightwear] 
    * Ahhh... \\\ Well that was nice...
    * I'm sooo relaxed now.
  * Ren (blush sideglance) 
    * Thankfully, Lady A left me alone after a bit...
    * Though, I mean... She's always watching us... So...
  * Ren (shadow blush eyes closed smile) 
    * We'll just pretend that she didn't see anything!
  * Ren (blush sated smile) 
    * Okay, back to bed now...
  * [Ren] 
    * But as I open the door...
  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom (night)**
  * Annie (blush annoyed) 
    * Did you forget?
  * Ren (blush surprised) 
    * ANNIE!... Forget?
    * (Forget what?)
  * Annie (blush shadow eyes closed smile) [nightwear] 
    * About our connection?
  * Ren (blush freaked) 
    * Oh. ... Uh oh....
    * (Oh shit! Totally forgot!)
  * Annie (blush shadow smile) 
    * No worries... \\\ You just go have a nice lie-down...
    * And see what it's like from the other side!
    * [Slam!]
  * [Ren] 
    * Within a few minutes that feeling of warmth begins to pervade me again...
    * I can't feel her exact sensations... \\\ But I'm getting turned on... again...
  * Ren (blush shadow worried) 
    * Ahh... \\\ Shit.
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * **Dream/Fantasy**
    * I hard originally planned on something pretty mild, like the original WW bathroom interlude; but regfurby's comment on WS02-19 about a dream/fantasy nudged me to up it a notch... Or maybe 5 or 6 notches... ☺
  * **Explicitness**
    * I have no plans to get this explicit again. (Though you never know!)
    * But I do like to see things play out fairly naturally — and given what Ren has gone through (and been put through!) — I think this pretty much had to happen.




	23. ConferRence

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom**
  * Annie (relaxed satisfied smile) 
    * Hah! How do you like them apples?!
    * Taste of your own medicine, huh?
  * [Narrator] 
    * Fresh out of the bathroom, Annie taunts Ren...
    * Only to notice that Ren's not quite there...
  * Ren (meditating) 
    * ...
  * Annie (annoyed) 
    * Is she meditating! That's cheating!
    * Damn it! \\\ Where's her mind at now?



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bathing Pool**
  * Ren-kun (smile) [Male Ren, nude, water about mid-chest] 
    * This is nice. What a relaxing way to get my head straight!
    * Thanks bro-kami!
  * Frog [on a rock at edge of bath] 
    * Ribbit.
  * Ren-ko (very relaxed) [Female Ren, hair up, nude, steam censored] 
    * I'm sooo relaxed.
  * Ren-kun (blush smile) [Male Ren, nude, water about mid-chest] 
    * Yeah, yeah, all right... I'll admit it...
    * It was pretty satisfying...
  * Ren-kun (slightly frustrated) 
    * But I still miss Mr. D!
  * Ren-ko (light blush smile) 
    * Well... Umm... Hmm...
  * Rennie (smirk) [Annie, nude, steam/water censored] 
    * Maybe we could get Captain Enzo...
  * Ren-kun (freaked) 
    * NO! NO! NO!
  * Ren-ko (excited) 
    * Oh yeah! Hmmmm.... \\\ ... \\\ I think I'm starting to warm up again...
  * Ren-kun (freaked) 
    * Nope! Nope! Nope! \\\ Stop thinking about that!
  * Marren (smirk) [Mariru, nude steam/water censored] 
    * Children, children...
    * Enough about that, lets get back on track...
  * Renzu [Anzu, face half-submerged in water] 
    * Blurble. Blurble, blurble.
  * Ren-kun (serious) 
    * Just what I was wondering... \\\ Can we trust her to keep her end of the deal?
  * Marren (frown) 
    * Never trust Mariru. \\\ It's just a matter of time until she pulls something.
    * Then another something... \\\ And another...
    * It's not in her nature to NOT try to grab more control.
  * Ren-kun (sigh) 
    * [Sigh.] Figured that.
  * Rennie (concerned) 
    * Does sis have enough protection?
  * Ren-kun (serious) 
    * She's strong, and we always have our eyes on her.
  * Ren-ko (thoughtful) 
    * Hmmm... There's cute Mr. Hat too... Maybe he can help somehow...
  * Ren-kun (shocked) 
    * Cute? That monster?
  * Marren (amused) 
    * That's an idea, and he _is_ kind of cute...
  * Marren (serious) 
    * But, it's not just physical threats...
    * Without Renzu's lying skill, I'm afraid she'll let something slip.
    * We should talk to her about that. \\\ A memory vault should do the job.
  * Renzu (neutral worry) 
    * Not just us.
    * Aegis awake... Top secret.
    * Must protect Aegis until Aegis is stronger.
  * Rennie (serious) 
    * Sis will go for the vault.
  * Marren (thoughtful) 
    * Maybe a more focused Renzu link? \\\ Something that only protects specific info?
    * Can Ren-kami do that?
  * Ren-kun (concerned) 
    * I don't know. Bro-kami got worried about first link.
  * Ren-ko (worried) 
    * So talk to Annie about it tomorrow?
    * Maybe _sis_ -kami will comes up with something by then!
  * Frog 
    * Ribbit.
  * Renzu (neutral) 
    * SID?
  * Ren-kun (serious) 
    * Still the best next step, I think.
    * And we've hedged our bets by bringing MD in.
  * Marren (smirk) 
    * When we told her about the final wave battle...
    * ... I could see the smoke coming out of her ears.
  * Rennie (laughing) 
    * Ha hah hah!
  * Rennie (worried) 
    * Still... You know... \\\ Things seem almost _too_ easy...
    * Walking into SID and smacking the director down...
  * [Narrator] 
    * Ren-kun exchanges a look with Renzu. \\\ Renzu gives a small nod.
  * Ren-kun (serious) 
    * Things do seem too easy.
    * Not that we couldn't have screwed up, and not that we haven't gotten lucky.
    * ... Though I'm a bit suspicious of "luck".
    * But I get this feeling that we're...
  * Renzu (neutral) 
    * ... in the starter zone.
  * Ren-kun (serious) 
    * Yeah. And choices made now... \\\ Will have a big effect on the later game.
  * Marren (n-smile) 
    * Hmm... You gamers think everything's a game plot.
    * But, preparation is key.
    * So... Number one choice...
  * Ren-kun (serious) 
    * Get stronger. But stay Ren.
  * Ren-ko (smile) 
    * Yes. Yes!
  * Rennie (happy) 
    * Yep!
  * Renzu (neutral) 
    * Blurble.
  * Marren (smile) 
    * Agreed.
  * Frog 
    * Ribbit.
  * Marren (serious) 
    * Right. Now that that's settled...
  * Marren (lusty) 
    * Lets have sex.
  * Ren-kun (deep blush) 
    * Erk! Again?
  * Ren-ko (deep blush) 
    * Eep! Like this?
  * Renzu (neutral) 
    * Option #1: Circle.
    * Option #2: Twosome, threesome.
    * Option #3: ...
  * Rennie (shadow eyes closed worry) 
    * Sis is going to kill us...
  * **END**



* * *

  * **Extras**
  * Ren's Personalities 
    * I've gone back and forth a bit on this, trying to decide how to handle it. Here's where I stand now...
    * This sort of "multiple Rens at once" thing will be pretty rare, and probably only for this sort of discussion.
    * Ordinarily, Ren will be one personality at time — though she'll sometimes switch between them pretty quickly.
    * In short, Ren will usually be an "I" rather than a "we".




	24. Ren's SH Study Notes

  * **Author's Note: Don't Read This Chapter!**
    * **This chapter is basically an info-dump — if you find that boring, feel free to skip it!**
      * Plot-wise, the main point is that Ren is actively studying and trying to understand SH.
    * However, if you like world-building, you may find it interesting. In which case, read on!
  * Story-wise.... 
    * This chapter is mostly Ren's study notes on Substance H, based on tutoring from Lady A, with some filtering/addition from Ren's own unique knowledge.
    * As such, it is Ren's understanding at this time. I.e. it's not the author's "Word of God".
  * Format: 
    * The notes sections don't follow my usual "VN dialog transcript" format.
    * If this were in an actual game, this info dump might be better in a separate "lore library" that unlocks at this point in the story.
    * But for this web version, please bear with the slightly different format!



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom (Evening)**
  * [Narrator] 
    * Earlier in the evening...
  * Annie (shock) 
    * So the whole fleet disappeared in this bubble?
    * And the bubble is still sitting there, people can enter, but no one ever returns??
  * Ae-chan (serious) 
    * Correct, Annie-chan.
  * Annie (shock) 
    * ...
  * [Ren] 
    * Annie is studying recent history under Ae-chan.
    * And I'm studying SH under Lady A...
  * Lady Aegis (serious) 
    * Did you not pay attention to any of this in school, Ren-chan?
  * Ren (embarrassed): 
    * Umm... It was kind of in one ear, out the other.
  * Ren (annoyed) 
    * Just more useless knowledge that I would never use.
  * Ren (whining) 
    * I mean... how was I supposed to know???
  * Lady Aegis (amused) 
    * ...
  * Ren (laughing) 
    * Ha ha ha!
  * (Ren) (serious) 
    * Alright, back to work...
    * Hmm... This is a lot... I'll organize it into notes...



* * *

  * **Basic Questions**
    * _What is basic nature of Substance H (SH)?_
    * _How long has it been around?_
    * _Why the fuck is it called "Substance H" instead of "supernatural stuff"??_
  * **The Name**
    * Historically, the first instances that were found were labeled "Substance H".
    * _... Because of course, scientists weren't going to call it "Supernatural Stuff"._
    * Also, there aren't any rituals, gods, supernatural beings, etc. _(Well that's not true...)_
    * It's just things (and memes) that exhibit "anomalous" behavior.
    * _So why not call it "Anomaly Substance" or something like that?_
    * ... _SHIT! SERIOUSLY???_
    * Lady A says that the original researchers called it "Substance H" as short for "Substance Hentai", i.e. it already does mean "weird/perverted/variant stuff"!
    * _Why have I never hear that before??_
    * Oh... Lady A says that the "Hentai" bit was intentionally stamped/swamped out by information control agencies (like SID).
  * **SH Research/History**
    * The modern era of SH dates to a small number of objects researched in 2016. 
      * Prior to this time, tests of purportedly occult objects came back negative. After this point, the same tests on the same objects started coming back positive.
      * However, most SH discoveries after this point were new; i.e. not traditional occult objects.
    * Two types of SH research: Scientific and Historical. 
      * Scientific SH research focuses on finding, testing, developing, understanding current SH.
      * Historical SH research focuses on investigating the supernatural in history. 
        * Which apparently is a huge clusterfuck of conflicting information, misinformation, and outright fantasy.
        * Scientific SH researchers commonly deride Historical SH researchers as "fantasists and fabulists".
    * As to why SH was seemingly absent for so long, the theories are basically: "Non-existent", "Dormant", "Mostly Dormant", and "Kept Secret". 
      * Lady A says the consensus of the Senate is: mostly dormant and kept secret.
      * _Since SH seems to come from the Other World, then perhaps something changed in the relationship between this world and that world?_



* * *

  * **Nature of SH**
    * SH items/materials break known physical laws. I.e. they're "supernatural". 
      * This is basically the definition of being "SH".
  * **SH Types**
    * Some are mundane. E.g. a shoelace that won't stay tied.
    * Many are of practical application: E.g. hair dyes.
    * Combat/military uses exist and range up to catastrophic world ending.
    * Colloquially, some are called "curses" and others are called "blessings". 
      * E.g. the shoelace that won't stay tied. _Cursed._
  * **SH Origination**
    * SH cannot be manufactured from non-SH.
    * **Primary SH** has no origin, Basically.. 
      * "Hey! Where did this thing come from?" [Appears out of nowhere] OR
      * "Hey! This thing didn't do this before, did it??" [Existing non-SH becomes SH.]
    * **Derived SH** is an SH that is produced by an **SH catalyst**.
    * Most SH in practical use is manufactured via SH catalysts. (E.g. blue hair dyeing SH.)
    * However, some of the most important SH is primary (e.g. Aegis).
    * Some SH originally thought to be primary is later determined to be secondary, after finding the responsible catalyst.
  * **SH Catalysts**
    * These are SH that cause changes in other objects — sometimes temporary, sometimes permanent. 
      * E.g. the SH hair color catalysts, which alter melanin production in hair follicles.
    * Catalysts are divided into four ranks based on result of catalysis: 
      * Rank 1: Result is non-SH.
      * Rank 2: Result is SH (but not an SH catalyst).
      * Rank 3: Result is a rank 1 catalyst. This is rare.
      * Rank 4: Result is a rank 2 catalyst. This is very rare.
      * Rank 5??: There are no known examples of catalysts higher than rank 4.
  * **SH Exhaustion/Cooldown**
    * If an SH loses its SH nature after a number of uses, then it may be... 
      * "Exhausted:" I.e. has permanently lost its SH nature. OR
      * Be on "Cooldown" I.e. has only temporarily lost its SH behavior.
    * If an SH is never exhausted, then it's an "Eternal SH".
    * Of course, just because an SH hasn't been exhausted _yet_ , doesn't mean that it will _never_ be exhausted. 
      * So, its possible that there is no truly eternal SH.
    * SH detectors can differentiate between exhaustion and cooldown. 
      * SH on cooldown still tests positive as SH. Exhausted SH tests negative.
  * **Example: Hair Dyes**
    * _Yes Annie, I'm studying hair dyes! Quit giggling!_
    * SH hair dyes are liquid, rank 1 catalysts that become exhausted after a single use.
    * They in turn, are catalyzed from ordinary water by the Breck Stones — a set of eternal, rank 3 catalysts.
    * _Oh now I remember... The Breck Stones are here in New Opulentia... An attempt to steal them earlier this year made the news because of the almost military level of the attempted theft._
  * **SH Identification and Detection**
    * Originally "supernatural behavior" was the only means of identifying SH objects.
    * Later, SH detectors were developed (detectors are themselves SH objects).
    * And now, SH detectors account for about 60% of new SH discoveries.
    * Some SH detectors are "complete" while others are "partial". 
      * Complete detectors detect all (known) SH.
      * Partial detectors only detect certain subclasses of SH objects.
      * Some theorists take existence of subclasses as evidence of underlying SH structure/nature.
    * _Lady A says that her statues all act as SH detectors. (This is not public knowledge.)_
    * _SH-ness is something that I can see... So I myself am an SH detector. Hmmm... Should test this a bit more._
    * _Moreover, it seems that I can see SH compatibility. (E.g. between Lady Aegis and that fox statue.)_
  * **Deconstructing an SH breaks SH behavior**
    * Reconstructing the SH may or may not revive the SH effect. 
      * Some SH allow disassembly/reassembly. Other SH don't.
    * However, deconstruction can (often) be used to reveal the real SH. 
      * E.g. if a lock acts like a SH, maybe that behavior springs from one of the screws used in it, rather than the lock as a whole. And maybe that screw can be moved to a different lock — and the SH behavior will appear in the new lock.
    * Deconstructing powerful SH is dangerous. Explosions, all sorts of horrible mishaps may result. 
      * Consequently, powerful SH are generally kept in safe, controlled areas.
      * Attempts to deconstruct them must be carried out in very controlled conditions.
      * However, there is usually plenty of warning signs before things go wrong. Rising heat. Sudden cold. Etc.
  * **SH behavior is self-consistent.**
    * Whatever rule of nature they break, they break in a consistent way.
    * I.e. if an SH has a trigger condition, then if that trigger condition is met, then it will always act in the same way.
    * Yes, there are SH items that have random results. But even here, the randomness is consistent: 
      * E.g. if it's a coin that lands head up 25% of the time, then it maintains that ratio steadfastly.
  * **SH Resist Analysis.**
    * They're tougher, more resistant to destruction. Traditional scanning and imaging methods often fail.
    * The more powerful the SH, the more resistant it is to analysis and destruction.
  * **SH Behavior is Usually Related to Environment**
    * If a new SH is detected, then its behavior is almost always related to the environment that it originated in.
    * E.g. the Breck Stones originated in a hair salon in Nagoya.
  * **SH Objects Are Anthropocentric**
    * Almost all found SH are useful to man, or have effects specific to mankind.
    * This theory is hotly debated, with many attacking it.
    * But statistical studies consistently back it up.



* * *

  * **SH Without SH Behavior?**
    * SH detectors frequently identify objects as SH, even though the object has no known SH behaviors.
    * However, such "false positives" are usually later found to have SH behavior.
    * However, for some SH, no SH behavior has yet been found. So the question is: 
      * Do they have SH behavior which just hasn't been found?
      * Or, are they false positives, failures by SH detectors?
      * Or, are they somehow "SH", but without any SH behavior?
    * Note: Observing _some_ SH behavior of an object, doesn't imply that you've observed _all_ SH behavior of the object. 
      * Case in point: Ross Island Goblet, in which the untouchable, unpourable liquid was clearly SH... Yet the true SH nature was unknown, despite much testing.
  * **No Grand Reductive SH Theory**
    * There is no known consistent unifying reductive explanation for SH. 
      * Some SH do seem interconnected, i.e. seem to have an underlying consistent behavior.
      * But attempts to extend these rules to other SH fail.
    * There are two basic theories about SH: 
      1. That SH follows an as yet unknown set of physical laws.
      2. That SH follows no laws. It is by nature a "law breaker". I.e. it's literally supernatural.
  * **SH Master Catalyst Theory**
    * Theory: All SH comes from a single master SH catalyst.
    * _There's zero effing evidence for this, but apparently that's not going to stop theorists_.
    * Of course, then there are those who say that the Master Catalyst is "God."
  * **Everything is SH Theory**
    * One theory is that "normal" reality is itself a SH. It's just that its rules are so pervasive that we see it as normal.
  * **SH World/Universe Origin Theory**
    * This theory postulates that SH comes from an alternate world; either with its own laws or with no laws at all.
    * There are a lot of variants of this theory, mostly related to the nature of the other world (or worlds). 
      * Some theories postulate many worlds.
      * Some theories postulate a world (or worlds) of magic, etc. But with people, civilizations, etc.
      * Others are more abstract: world of ideas, etc. 
        * _Good job guys! Yep, this is the correct one. (Or so it seems from what I've seen so far.)_



* * *

  * **SH Rituals**
    * There are no known, functional rituals. Or at least, not known by New Opulentia scientists.
    * There are processes that use SH objects, but those processes are not themselves SH. 
      * I.e. the objects used are supernatural, not the process itself.
    * However, Lady A says that there is some indication that foreign organizations may have functional rituals.
    * _And... Annie has led me through a simple ritual. And she says that she was only at the beginning of her training by her mentor. So there would have been more rituals._
    * _So rituals do exist. But maybe you have to be a witch (or similar) to perform them?_
  * **SH Enhanced Persons**
    * The **SH Enhanced** are people who have enhanced strength, resistances, etc. and/or greater affinity with SH objects.
    * Such people are often found (or drawn to) sports and/or the military.
    * In athletics, enhanced players are only allowed to compete if their enhancement places them within the typical range of performance of their competition bracket.
    * Annie was an early example: Able to play professional level baseball because of her enhanced strength, toughness, etc. (Annie tested at roughly equal to a male in his twenties).
    * _Annie's witch abilities (ball juggling, Mr Hat) go far beyond simple enhancement, but she only acquired those after she had been playing professional ball for a while, and she carefully kept those abilities secret._
  * **SH Entities**
    * Other than the SH Enhanced, their are no known SH entities. I.e. no gods, spirits, demons, witches, werewolves, vampires, etc. _Officially, that is._
    * Contrary to this official line, Lady A says that there is indeed some evidence of undead and werewolves. But no hard evidence yet — at least not in New Opulentia research.
    * _And obviously, Annie is a witch. And since Annie had a mentor, presumably there are other witches._
    * _And there's me, whatever I am._
    * _And Mr Cohen, whatever he is._
    * _And Lady Aegis herself? ... But she's counted as an SH object, not an entity. And her sentience is a secret known only to Lady A, Annie and myself._



* * *

  * **Normal World vs Other World**
    * I see two co-existing realities: "Normal" and "Other".
    * The Other world is not an isekai like other world of magic, people, etc.
    * Instead, the Other world seems to be a subjective, dream like world with very little, if any set rules.
  * **Ephemeral vs Persistent in Other World**
    * Most of what I see in the other world is ephemeral, fleeting, created by thoughts... Much like a waking dream.
    * However, there are more persistent ideas and... things.
    * Theory: The persistent things in the Other world arise from ideas in the normal world. 
      * E.g. Ae-chan's fox arising in the Other world — in the same location of the fox shrine.
      * Though that might be explained the other way around — the fox shrine being built because of a leak of "foxiness" from the Other world. Or a previous fox SH incident at that location
  * **Other World Source of SH**
    * Primary SH objects most likely all originate from the Other World 
      * Might directly transit to this world (appearance out of nowhere).
      * Or might suddenly imbue an existing normal object with SH characteristics.
    * For SH appearing in related areas (e.g. the Breck stones in a salon), maybe: 
      * Ideas here generate persistent "echoes" in the Other world.
      * If those get strong enough, then they leak back to normal world?
    * Witches are basically SH embodied in a person.
    * STF's are bubbles or bridges between Normal and Other worlds.
  * **SH Objects are Anthropocentric**
    * Not surprising, given the subjective nature of the other world.
  * **No Grand Reductive Theory**
    * Not surprising given the subjective nature of the other world.
  * **SH Master Catalyst Theory.**
    * Nope. Wrong! (Probably?)
  * **Everything is SH Theory**
    * Hmm... I guess I can't rule it out entirely...
    * But I don't think so. To me, it feels like a fundamental, binary, objective vs subjective distinction between the worlds.
    * Feels like a yin/yang thing to me. Both equally real. But I could be wrong.
  * **Rituals and Entities**
    * Clearly, "the situation is evolving."
    * But...



* * *

  * **Screen: Ryokan Bedroom (Evening)**
  * Annie (mock angry) 
    * Arrghh! Enough studying Ren!
    * The ryokan bath is all ours! Let's go, already!
  * Ae-chan (big eyes pleading) 
    * Yes, big-sis! Let's go! \\\ Pleeaaasseee???
  * Ren (eyes closed smile) 
    * ... That's cheating, Ae-chan.
  * Annie (big smile) 
    * Ha ha ha!
  * Lady Aegis (speculative smile) 
    * I'm looking forward to it as well...
    * Baths are supposed to be quite relaxing.
  * Ren (smile) 
    * ... \\\ Okay, okay, Fine! Let's go!
  * (Ren) (shadow smile) 
    * Me and three nude females in a bath...
    * What could possibly go wrong?
  * **END**



**Author's Note:**

>  **10 August 2020:** Final chapter (Ch. 22) just released. Next up will be WitchStorm 03.
> 
>  **21 August 2020:** I’m afraid that it’s on hold for a while. Bit of a writers block. And the next chapter would take quite a lot of time, which I probably need to spend on other things. And the overall health of the game plays a strong factor as well (less interested in writing if game is in maintenance mode).
> 
> But a more positive reason: WitchStorm 01 & 02 accomplished a lot of what I wanted to do: 1) Strong Ren; 2) kill the dom/sub stuff; 3) better match between gameplay and story; 4) strong relationship between Ren & Annie.
> 
> If there’s news in the future, I’ll post here and on the story-discussion channel of the official WW discord.
> 
>  **11 November 2020** Added one more chapter (23: ConferRence). Also released first chapter of WitchStorm 03 -- though I still have no idea how long that will take to come out.


End file.
